Late Blossoms
by InfiniteDragon
Summary: Akatsuki- destroyed. Orochimaru- deceased. Sasuke- deceased. Allies dead: Kakashi. Jiraiya. How will the surviving members of Team 7- and all of Konoha's ninja- survive in the new future? NaruHina, NaruSaku, SakuNaruHina. Rated for a reason. Gore, Lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Now that the story's over, I've decided to repost all the edit/spelling mistakes I've corrected since the story began- which is why every chapter is going up again. For the record, there will be some (small) story corrections too, but nothing too big.

For those new to the story: It's NarutoxSakuraxHinata, HinataxSakuraxNaruto, etc etc. The three end up 'happily ever after', more or less. (Not to spoil the surprise- I know a lot of people who look for stories based on pairings)

For those new to my work, a word of warning: While I consider myself a pretty good writer, I don't write kid stuff. If you aren't 18, this story probably isn't for you. It deals with a number of adult issues, and while a teen might be able to 'get' most of it, there's a lot of it you won't. I'm not trying to be mean, just honest- you won't enjoy it as much as you would if you were a bit older.  
That being said, I'm not your parent, so...

The story contains lemons (fairly graphic), blood, violence, gore, mentions of rape, childbirth, and other fun and interesting things- if you're into that. Some things it does _not_ contain are Yaoi, underaged sex, (the main characters are 21 and 22, respectively, at the beginning of the story) smut written for smut, etc.

I'll say this with every chapter now that I'm doing my reposting, but it bears mentioning anyway: I don't own Naruto, never have, and probably never will. Don't make any profit from it, probably never will, etc etc.

But for the record, I'd love to write for the manga... please?

Enjoy the 'final' version of Late Blossoms!

**Chap. 1**

"Naruto!" The woman's scream rent the early morning air, but it was not the only sound. All around her, she could hear their team leader, and the other two members of her squad fighting, possibly dying. She struggled once more against the wires holding her arms tight against her sides, and then in fury, focused just enough chakra into her shoulders and wrists, bursting the bindings in one motion.

Her eyes blurred through the surroundings, but she couldn't see much through the darkness.

There was a faint whistling from straight ahead accompanied by a flickering, blue-white glow. _Kakashi sensei. He'll be all right._

She dashed around the big tree, still looking for her two companions. _That was a tiger's roar... probably Sai. I should check on him first._ With a sudden leap, she was flying through the air toward the sound, and now that she was listening closer, the woman could also pick out the sounds of dogs or wolves, maybe some cats or a lynx. _He should be all right, but just in case..._

Then she saw him. Bloody, but unbowed. His last two opponents were in far worse shape, the ground around the tall, thin man now littered with bodies, living and dead both. "Sai... you got this? I need to find Naruto."

The man didn't even glance in her direction, but gave a slight nod and a crooked smile. One of the enemy thought he was sufficiently distracted to attack and jumped toward him, the other toward the new arrival. The ghost-white tiger caught the first man by the thigh in mid-air and flung him to the ground, where the rest of the leg was removed in seconds.

The man wearing a Chunin vest, the middle rank of Ninja, met Sakura's faintly-glowing fist in midair, and the combination of his momentum and her incredible Chakra control turned his face into a fine mist of blood and bone before he'd even started his legs forward in a kick.

"All right then, Sai. Kakashi sensei's that way-" she said, pointing back towards their team leader, "I'm going to find Naruto. Keep safe, there may be more out there."

He paused for a moment, giving her an appraising, but expressionless look, then nodded. "Yes sir, Sakura."

With a flash, her teammate was gone again, and she continued with her search for the last member.

_Oh Kami above, I should have known... they were after _him_, not us! _Sakura had, finally, found her last teammate. Many of him, in fact. Once he'd been separated from the group shortly after she'd been bound to the tree, he must have been attacked by at least fourteen Sound, all Chunin or Jonin. Their bodies were all over the place, some of them cut into pieces by the raging winds of Naruto's Kazerasengan. The only clue she had that her oldest friend was still alive was the fact that there _were_ so many of him around. _Shadow clones. Can he even fight without them any more? He uses them all the time! Now I've got to find the real one..._

She moved forward into the mess quickly, checking each of the Naruto clones by the simple expedient of flicking them in the forehead, much as his adopted grandmother did frequently, with a Chakra-fed finger. The clones would disappear in a puff of smoke, and Naruto would get a bruise that would heal in minutes. She'd gone through four clones when she heard the one at her feet stir just slightly. Crouching down, she put one hand on the man's chest and breathed, "Naruto... is this the real you?"

The blue eyes she'd come to know so well flashed open, and both of his arms gripped hers just below the shoulder and elbow. Sakura had just begun to gasp from surprise when he'd used the leverage to flip her over, landing himself on her back, with her arms pinned behind her. "Hey, you slackers! Get up, I've got the medic!" the sound ninja called out, and Sakura was horrified to see at least four of the Naruto clones rise up in response, each one grinning. _They... oh Kami! They used Naruto's move to confuse him... is he... where is he?_ "Where is Naruto?!" she roared, and in his slight distraction, Sakura flexed her legs and back. He grinned, with such little leverage, there was no way she'd be able to kick him off. But he hadn't counted on the Gondaime's training. All it took was the slightest impact... and the ground beneath Sakura's lower half when her knees struck was pulverized, giving her enough room to kick the man off completely. Taken by surprise himself, this time, Sakura had her hand around his throat, and it was all she could do to keep from squeezing the life out of him.

The eyes she turned on the other ninja were cold, hard, and those few who had, by chance, fought against this particular Leaf Ninja before were shocked at the change in them from years before. "Where... is Naruto? If your damned Orochimaru or Kabuto have taken him- hurt him in any way- I will personally pulverize your entire village to dust!"

Two of the sound ninja scoffed, but one of the Jonin and another Chunin- who'd fought her before- took an involuntary step back. "No... she means it, and she can. She was trained by the Hokage bitch. She can... well, just look at the ground. She's as dangerous as the Kyuubi."

The ninja whose throat Sakura was holding was beginning to turn blue, but she did not relent. "I'd say this one's got about ten seconds before he's out forever. You should decide where your loyalty lies. To your friends who fought beside you and your Hidden Village, or the scum who leads you."

The group hesitated for about five seconds, and then each head in the clearing, including Sakura's, turned toward the sound of quiet clapping.

A tall, long-haired man stepped from the trees, dragging a shorter, yellow-blond haired man behind him. "Naru.... _Sasuke_?"

"It's good to see you again, Sakura. You've grown... colder... since we last met." He dropped the apparently unconscious man to the ground, and he didn't stir. Her eyes were finally torn away from the black orbs of the man she'd loved for years to rest on the only one who'd stayed true to her. He didn't move at all, she could barely hear him breathe.

"You can let him go, Sakura. As strong as you've become, you can't beat me, and I'd hate to lose another loyal subordinate." Sasuke's voice hadn't changed at all in the three years since she'd last seen him.

"Sasuke... what did you do to Naruto?" she asked, gently releasing the other man, who did not gasp for air- he was already dead.

"Nothing much. Just a few drugs I picked up from Kabuto before I killed him. He'll wake up in a few hours. Tell you what... since I can hear Kakashi and my... 'replacement' coming, I'll even let you keep him for now." Sasuke stepped a few paces away from Naruto, and gestured for his men to get behind him. Those who had risen, plus a few more who'd woken since then, stumbled or walked to follow his instructions.

Without a glance down, the black-haired man smirked and said, "Ah, killed him already. You're so heartless, Sakura... I love it. Now... take him and go."

The last eight words had been spoken in Orochimaru's voice, and she _knew._ Knew that the sannin had performed the soul transplant. Knew that Sasuke, while maybe not gone forever, because just as she _knew_ it was too late, shecould _feel_ that the Sasuke she'd been talking to was really him, was no longer someone she wanted to return to Konoha, except maybe as a corpse.

"So, which is it, Sasuke? Or Orochimaru?" a deep, male voice said behind her. _Kakashi._

"It's a little of both, actually," the villain replied in Sasuke's voice, "when Orochimaru tried to do his soul transplant on me, I used the Sharingan at the last second and copied it- and performed it on him as well. The results were..." and in Orochimaru's voice again, "unexpected. Two souls in one body, two minds... mostly. My original- well, the body I was in- was empty, and both of us were in Sasuke. Now... he knows all of the thousands of Jutsu I had learned over my lifetime, and I have the kekkei genkai of the Uchiha. Only..."

Here, Sai interrupted with a casual tone, "It's not what either of you wanted, was it?"

For a brief second, regret filled Sasuke's face, but it was quickly tamped down, and he replied once again in Sasuke's voice, "No, no... but it works. Interestingly enough, we've been in the same body for five years now. Since just before you last tried to bring me back to Konoha. Do you know what that means?"

Kakashi and Sai were confused for a moment, but Sakura grasped the truth at once. "You've... either perfected the jutsu, or your bodies are such a close match that there is no rejection. You could live like this until the body gets old and dies."

"Yes," Orochimaru replied, "we believe the latter. I don't think there was anything wrong with the jutsu to begin with. It was... merely the remnants of the old soul fighting back that caused the degradation. While this wasn't what either of us wanted, it has worked so far and we get along as well as could be expected. For instance... we were able to fight as one to finally kill Uchiha Itachi."

The grin at this was purely Sasuke's.

"So you got all you wanted... Orochimaru's power, your brother dead... and the closest thing you've ever had to a friend is lying beaten at your feet. Are you happy now, Sasuke?" Sakura whispered, but it was only to buy that last little bit of time before the trap was ready.

He smirked one last time and said, "Poor Sakura... you're still hoping that you were the one thing I realized I still wanted, weren't you? No... no, I'm happy to say, you were always to observant for me. I needed someone I could _use_ to restart the Uchiha. And Ino... she was the perfect match. Did you know that her child is mine? Look at the hair... only the Nara boy's and mine are that dark in the whole village. And Nara has that sand bitch. In just a few years, her eyes should begin to awaken, and I'll come to claim her."

Sakura screamed out in rage, almost breaking his attention before the snake- white as paper, but incredibly detailed, down to the last scale, dropped from above to hold Sasuke tight.

Kakashi walked forward slowly, his arm beginning to flicker and glow with the energy of the Chidori, "Sasuke... Orochimaru. Fitting that traitors like you should be destroyed by your own pets."

Just before Kakashi's fist, now lightning-bright, struck, the snakes fell away and Sasuke side-stepped the blow toward Naruto.

"Stupid _sensei_. Did you forget I can run my Chidori through my body? Nothing like that can hold me!"

Suddenly, Kakashi was flying backwards, a fountain of blood gushing from his throat.

"Kakashi sensei!" Sakura yelled. _I didn't even... see him move! Na... Naruto!"_

The blond man, finally awake, had both arms wrapped tightly around their former friend's legs and he grunted over the pain and electrical current running through him, "Sakura... do it now! I can't hold him long!"

The indecision lasted only a moment. He'd shown himself beyond redemption, beyond any capacity to love. While Naruto's grip quickly weakened, she burst into motion. She knew her fist wouldn't connect- Sasuke was too fast, even with his legs pinned. But there was one move, a move she'd painstakingly learned over the last nine years...

"Leaf... Barrage, Medic Style!"

Sasuke's sharingan was brilliant, but even it couldn't see, much less copy, the sheer number of jutsu Sakura unleashed at once. Taijutsu mimicking Lee's just as both Sasuke and Naruto had done, a small Rasengan- it'd taken her two years to master that- in her right hand, a Chakra scalpel in her left, and each foot carrying a mountain of momentum crashed into Sasuke in a blink, one right after another.

In the instant before internal pressure caused his lungs to spill out through the hole in his chest, Sakura could see the forest behind him, and the villain gasped, "You... did get stronger..."

A lifetime of seconds later, Sai's hand gently touched Sakura's shoulder, "Sakura... Kakashi-sensei might be alive. Please try to help him. Let me take care of... him."

Woodenly, Sakura nodded and turned away, letting her training take over. Distantly, she could hear Naruto's groaning words and Sai carrying on a discussion about what to do with the body. Naruto was all for burning it on the spot, rather than contaminating Konohagakure with his filth again, but Sai was insistent that the body be returned, if for nothing else that to glean what secrets they could from it.

"Sensei..." Sakura said, tears running unheeded down her face. His body was already growing cold in the early spring morning. _There will be two bodies to take back..._

* * *

"Report. What happened out there?"

Sakura spoke first. Sai was still supporting Naruto, who was barely conscious, though he himself was exhausted from carrying Kakashi back to the village. It had been three days since they were ambushed- and on a routine scouting mission, no less- and Lady Tsunade couldn't believe that such an elite team had lost it's leader, as well as received this kind of injury.

"Shi... Master. On days one through fourteen, we found nothing amiss. No signs of banditry, or ninja infiltration from the land of Stone. On the night of the fourteenth day, we were ambushed by what appeared to be a small group of Sound ninja looking to make a quick bounty."

Tsunade watched as Sakura spoke. Her voice was controlled, her hands at her back, but she could see her elbows still trembling. _It was bad..._

"At the beginning of the attack, I was bound to a tree and couldn't free myself until the rest of the team was separated. When I freed myself, Kakashi was in front of me a ways through the forest, but I knew he could handle himself. I found Sai next, and together we easily dispatched the two he hadn't taken care of. When I went to find Naruto, I... found lots of his bodies, all over."

_Her voice trembled... Sakura, he's right here. Naruto's alive. You don't need to..._

The Hokage's thoughts trailed off as her student continued the report, her voice still as professional as she could make it, despite the anguish she could hear, "I began to check the clones for the real Naruto, and... found a transformed Sound ninja. He pinned me and roused a few others, but I freed myself and turned the tables, just as Sasuke dragged Naruto out of the forest into the clearing I was in."

"Sasuke? What did that bastard do to my boy?" Tsunade was suddenly standing, but couldn't remember getting to that point.

"I... don't know. Naruto's been mostly unconscious since then. Mostly."

Sakura continued to relay the events of the ambush, but broke down at the point where Kakashi had jumped forward to kill Sasuke. From there, Sai, as dispassionately as he could, finished the tale. Even he was a little wet around the eyes when the report was finished.

"I... see." Tsunade said, her own voice shaking slightly as she slumped back into her seat. "I suppose, from a strategic point of view, that losing Kakashi was a fair trade for at least nine Sound and Orochimaru and Sasuke... in fact, we made out like... bandits. But losing Kakashi... that's no jackpot."

The old woman buried her face in her hands for a few moments, and Sai had just turned to leave when she spoke again, her voice muffled a little by her arms, "Sakura. This is the first time you've lost a patient in the field, isn't it."

The pink-haired kunoichi tried to speak, but her mouth only moved soundlessly. Then, suddenly, she was kneeling at the Hokage's side, sobbing and begging for forgiveness.

"Sakura... No! Sakura! You listen to me _right now_."

The anger in Tsunade's voice caused the woman to look up in shock and fear, but she found her master's eyes to be compassionate, warm. "We all lose people, people we care about, as medics. Look at Dan, Nawaki... I'm still here, I'm still strong. Right?"

Sakura nodded weakly, but said nothing, only buried her face against Tsunade's thigh once again, still crying.  
"Sakura..." Sai began hesitantly, "Naruto and I... we know other ninja who have lost someone close to him and kept going. Both of us... and Kakashi sensei. You remember Obito, right? Kakashi kept going. He would want you to as well."

"That's... right," Naruto choked out, half conscious at best, "Don't... don't you ever give up, Sakura. I don't know if I can be on the same... team... as someone who gives up. Kakashi wouldn't... you can't either."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 2**

"Other Shinobi have dedicated their lives to this village. Others have died for it. But there are few who have sacrificed so much for it. For us all." Princess Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, stood in the sunlight on a near-cloudless day before the Memoria Stone, the memorial dedicated to all of Konohagakure's ninja who had died in action. Before her stood almost all of the village's shinobi, and behind that throng, another multitude of civilians whose lives one of their own had, directly or indirectly, made better.

"The First Hokage, the Second, most recently the Third, and perhaps most memorably, the Fourth. Those who founded and led this village. They are remembered here, their names engraved in stone until the millennia wash even that memory away. Hyuga Kashin, Uchiha Madara, Hayate Gekko, The Toad Sage Jiraiya. These are heroes of this village as well. Heroes remembered for making the ultimate sacrifice to save us all. Today, Hatake Kakashi is the latest addition to this highest of honors."

At the front of the crowd, Maito Gai, Genma, Kotetsu, and Kakashi's team, Sai, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto stood, set apart from the others by their closeness to the deceased. Tsunade could see each of them trying hard to contain their grief, but the white lilies each held in one hand shook as if under a mighty wind.

"To some of you, this may come as a surprise. While undoubtedly a great shinobi, one of the finest Konoha has ever produced, many of you do not know yet how Kakashi died. I'll tell you now. He died trying to bring one of his students back to us. He was killed by Uchiha Sasuke, last of the Uchiha, moments before his own death. Hatake Kakashi died in honorable combat against one of the greatest foes the Leaf has ever seen, a foe who has consistently evaded, outsmarted, or simply beaten our shinobi time and again. But Kakashi had no fear. His students, his teammates, were with him, and there was no hesitation. There was no doubt. Kakashi died as a true hero, and because of his actions, a great danger has been lifted, and we can all breathe easier."

There was a general, low murmur through the crowd as this information percolated, some in the very back relaying it further still.

"So I ask you, shinobi and citizens of Konoha, not to place your lilies on the stone marked with Kakashi's name. Place it instead on the great stone, the symbol of Konoha's fallen heroes. Remember him as he lived, and as he died. One of the best of us."

As Hokage, it was Tsunade's right to place the first lily. She stepped away solemnly, but Naruto's eyes, that normally saw next to nothing compared with your average shinobi, saw her shoulders shaking as she walked away.

Perhaps Kakashi's closest friend and rival, Gai was next. He said nothing that Naruto could hear, though his jaw worked soundlessly for a moment before he followed Tsunade. Genma and Kotetsu followed suit, neither of them saying anything more than 'goodbye, old friend'.  
Naruto moved next, but as he bent down to place the white blossom on the small pile, he, too, tried to say something, but in the end was only able to choke out, "Bye, sensei. I hope I can make you as proud of me as I was to be your student." He then walked, not after Tsunade and the older shinobi, but to the other side, near the other chunin and jonin of his graduating class, waiting for his teammates.

Sai looked over at Sakura, but her eyes were closed, so he hesitantly stepped forward. "Sensei... I knew you the least of your team, but I am still honored to have met you. Your Nindo inspires me, inspires us all. I hope you found peace reunited with your team." The painter walked slowly over to join Naruto, his expression it's normal placid self, but his eyes were watery.

It was a long while before Sakura moved, but the crowd made no sound or movement of impatience. Most of those in front knew that, of the team, she had grown closest to Kakashi in the years since he had resumed command of the team. "Sensei... you taught me so much. _So much_... how to care for my teammates. How to care about anyone other than myself. Strategy, tactics, all that... that ninja stuff. Teamwork... kami, I don't even know what to say. It all sounds so hollow. I wish I could have told you when you were alive. I... _we_... owe you everything, sensei. I just... I just wanted to thank you for saving us, over and over... it... I'm sorry." And then, unable to contain her sobs, the kunoichi dashed past her teammates toward the village, with them following right behind her.

* * *

"I see," Tsunade said, two days later. The team had finally given their full report of the mission, and were now in the Hokage's office to discuss what would become of their team.

"Granny Tsunade," Naruto said, "I don't want you to disband our team. We work well together, and we've- Sakura and I, at least- been teammates for forever. I don't think there's anyone who can put up with me, you know?"

The older woman gave a sad smile and replied, "I know how you feel, believe me. But I don't think it's feasible at this point." She held up a hand quickly to forestall the protests all three of them were about to make, "Instead, I have another idea. Normally, this sort of thing requires at least a month of field observation, numerous tests on shinobi protocol, laws, and so forth... but I'm about to make a big exception for all three of you."

Naruto leaned back against the couch, obviously confused, and Sai was, as usual, reactionless. Sakura's eyes widened ever so slightly. _But she couldn't mean that... could she?_

"As of today, I am promoting all three of you to the rank of Jonin." The pronouncement was made in a calm voice, but Tsunade's eyes were laughing as she spoke, imagining the trio's reactions.

She wasn't too far off. All three were visibly stunned. Sai recovered first, but said nothing, only leaning back in the couch to mimic Naruto. The blond's jaw was practically on his chest, and he'd shot forward in the couch so far that he was barely on it. "Jo... Jonin? I'm... I'm not ready to be a Jonin! I've only been a Chunin for a year!"

Sakura took it the best by far, but even her face paled visibly. "Shishio... I don't think I'm ready, either. I'm not... anywhere near Kakashi sensei's level."

Tsunade let all of them take in the information for a full minute before continuing, "I appreciate your input. But my decision is made. The only way you can keep from being Jonin at this point is to resign, in which case I'd be forced to have you debriefed- by which I mean interrogated- in hopes that we _wouldn't_ find any evidence that your minds had been tampered with. So... anyone want to take that route?"

Naruto's face now almost as pale as Sai's, his mouth closed with a clap, and Sakura blindly searched behind her with one hand to find the edge of the couch and sat on the arm.

"Better. Now, let me... address your concerns. Sai, I know you didn't say anything, but I think I've gotten to know you a little. Yes, you're ready. The only thing you really lack is a sense of self-confidence at this point. You're... more whole than you think. Sakura, you above both of the boys are ready. Shizune, if she hadn't been travelling with me, would have had a team by your age, and you learned faster than she did. You aren't the most powerful ninja in terms of chakra reserve, or even taijutsu, but you have learned secrets that no one outside the medic nin squads know, and precious few of those. There are probably only four or five ninja in the village who could handle you in a fight. Me... Shizune and you are about evenly matched, Naruto, maybe Lee and Gai. That's about it. And your sheer striking power is... kami help me, even better than mine."

"And Naruto... what can I even say about you? You've got more A-rank missions under your belt than most Jonin on the verge of retirement. Shizune totalled it up the other day- four hundred and thirteen missions in your career so far, and _eighty three percent_ of them are A-rank, including sixteen S-rank. Two of which you completed on your own. To make it even more interesting, like Sakura, you were trained by one of the 'three legendary sannin'. And you remember Jiraiya's last words to you, right?" He nodded solemnly, leaning back once again with his arms across his chest, "Not only that, but you've been trained by two different ANBU captains- Kakashi and Yamato- and even train with Lee under Gai for Taijutsu. And last I heard, you do pretty well. So... what qualifications do you lack, again?"

His mouth opened and closed for a moment before his brain caught up, and he stammered out... "I... I'm _nobody_. I'm just a troublemaker, I screw up almost every mission single-handedly, and have to bust my ass to make up for it... I can't handle that kind of stress!"

Tsunade actually burst out laughing at his admission, but her expression was still resolute when she calmed down. "Naruto... I want you to listen carefully. You are _not_ nobody. I know who your parents were, and trust me... _'nobody'_ isn't you."

"What? Who- how come you never said?!"

"Calm down, calm down... I just found out a week or so ago. I was going through some old files and came across a name, and tracked it to you. I haven't told you since because of... well, everything going on. And I'm not going to now, either," she said, again putting up a hand, "so don't ask. I'll tell you soon, that's a promise. But not right now. There's just too much going on, especially for the three of you. So just trust me, OK? You aren't 'nobody'. As for troublemaker? I seem to recall it was 'Konoha's number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja'. Yeah, that's you to a T. But you have to remember the 'number one' part. You truly are a genius of hard work, like Lee says. If you try, there's nothing you can't do. Screw up? We all do. You just don't cover it up like everyone else, Naruto. Trust me. You can handle being a Jonin."

"But-"

"Quiet."

"Granny Tsu-"  
"Naruto, be quiet."

"I don't-"

"_Naruto_! Be quiet for a second!"

He looked mutinous, but finally fell silent.

"Now... let me rephrase it. This is an order from your Hokage. Do your job as a Jonin like I know you can. Enjoy it, don't freak out over it. And... shut up while I give you one more new assignment."

The older blond waited for almost five minutes, but each of the younger shinobi was silent, though Naruto still shot her glares every few seconds, then turned away as she met his eyes.

"Good. This last bit isn't going to go over very well at all, but I need you to just accept it, okay? I have reasons for it, and one of these days I may even get around to explaining them. But not just yet, it's getting late and I'm tired. So... I'm breaking up Team Seven."

Their expressions registered the deepest shock, even anger, but to their credit, none of the three made a sound.

"The three of you are Jonin now, and sending three Jonin on a mission is almost always overkill. So I'm going to do to you what we do to most Jonin who've recently been promoted- I'm going to give you each a Genin team of your own to train."

Naruto couldn't contain himself, but Sakura's hand flashed out without her even looking at him to cover his gaping mouth.

"Thank you, Sakura. Due to the stress of your last mission, which should have been an S instead of a B, combined with the loss of a dear friend, I am giving you- both as a doctor and your Hokage- two days of mandatory R&R. That means no medic shifts for you, either, Sakura. I mean _rest._ Or at least, relax. Three days from now, at seven AM, you are to report to the headmaster of the Academy. At eight, you will be assigned to your teams out in the Academy's training field. That day you will resume active duty, your primary duty, of course, being the training of your genin into a cohesive force- much as Kakashi did for you. Secondary duties, of course, are the fulfilling of missions. And bear in mind- no matter what the missions' rank, your priority is the safety, care, and training of your students, _not_ the mission. Clear?"

No one responded.

"Uh... you can talk now."

"Sensei..."

"Lady Tsunade..."

"Granny! Our own... I'm _so not ready for this!_ I'm barely a Chu- Jonin! I'm still a goof-off, how can I teach kids how to be good ninja?"

The older woman looked him square in the eye and said in her most authoritative voice, "You will do it because you have to. It's necessary training for any Jonin to lead a squad. And I already know you are an effective, if... unorthodox... squad leader, so that's not even an issue. You can handle this. If you ever have any questions, just think back to what Iruka or Kakashi would do- or better yet, ask someone. It's okay to ask for advice and help."

Only the slightest bit relieved, he said nothing until Sakura stood and literally pulled him to his feet. "Thank you, shishio. For everything." The kunoichi gave a deep bow and pulled Naruto, halfheartedly protesting, from the Hokage's office.

Tsunade watched the three new Jonin walk a few streets away from the Hokage Tower and talk for a while before splitting up toward their separate homes. "Shizune, are you still here?"

It was only a moment before the brunette came in through a side door, "Yes, master. I was going to leave soon, but what can I do for you?"

"It's not really what you can do... I just had a question. Have you ever thought about... Oh, I don't know. Retiring from your position as my assistant, and doing full-time hospital work? Or just... retiring? I know you have enough to live comfortably forever."

Watching her expression turn from mildly helpful to outright concern in the large window's reflection, Tsunade couldn't help but smile.

"Lady Tsunade! Is... am I not performing my duties to your satisfaction? Is there... someone else you think could do it better? Tell me, please, so I can-"

"Shizune!"

The woman stopped her rant at once, but still looked terrified that she'd failed her master and old friend in some way. "It's not that, Shizune. I just had a thought, that's all. One day I'm going to step down, after all... so I need to start training my replacement. Right?"

Her student nodded, not quite sure what Tsunade was talking about, and she continued, "Well, I was just thinking that we could start... training my replacement. And that would give you more time to work in the hospital, or train other medics, or... pretty much do whatever. And then, when the Sixth is ready... I could join you. If I still have the energy."

"Lady Tsunade... you mean _him_, don't you?"

The blond nodded once and turned to face her student.

"Well... I can't say I totally agree, but I don't disagree, either. I barely remember the 'Konoha Flash', but if Naruto's anything like him as a Hokage, I'm sure it'll all work out. And you've given him your blessing as well, so... "

"With credentials like that, is there anyone else I could name?" Tsunade asked, smiling, and Shizune joined her. "Come on, old friend- let's go to my place and have a drink."

For once, the brunette didn't argue.

"Heh, I'll make a sake drinker out of you yet."  
This time, the denial woke citizens half the village away.

* * *

"Your own team? Wow." It was a two days later, and Naruto's R&R was almost up.

Naruto blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his head. "You don't think it's too early, do you, Hinata?"

He'd been expecting her to do what- in his admittedly uneducated opinion- most girlfriends did, and be blindly supportive. So he was nonplussed when she paused in making their dinner to look up towards the ceiling of his kitchen pensively. "No..." she said after a while, and he breathed an audible sigh of relief, making the kunoichi laugh. "No, it's not too early. If I've learned anything about watching you from the sidelines all these years," she poured the stew into two bowls and put them on the table, taking a seat next to Naruto, "and from the front lines these more recent years, it's that you can take anything thrown at you."

The habitually-orange clad ninja grinned again and replied in kind, "Hey, I've told you already- I only chased after Sakura all those years because I thought you were out of my league. Being the Hyuga Heiress, and all."

Hinata continued as if he hadn't spoken, though she blushed a little now as well, "You might come through things a little worse for wear..."

"Cut."

"Beaten..."

"Scarred."

"On the verge of death..." she finished, "But you do still make it through. And I think you're more ready than you know. All you have to do... is think of it as more training."

"Training? For what?"

"For... lots of things. Being Hokage, for one. And the other... well... if you figure it out, let me know and I'll give you a prize."

Distracted from his nervous thoughts at last, Naruto spent the rest of dinner trying to wheedle the other 'training' out of his girlfriend, to no avail.

After they'd had their fill of the thick stew Hinata had cooked, (flavored extensively with ramen ingredients, of course) the couple retired to Naruto's small bed to relax and spend a little more time together before she had to return home. At first, they only exchanged information about their two most recent missions. Hinata's had been the first A-ranked mission her team had been on in two years, due to a near-crippling injury Kiba had sustained falling off a cliff on the way home from their last A-rank- that he'd come through without a scratch up till that point. He also filled her in on all the 'true' details of his own last mission, clearing up any distortions or gaps that the rumor mill had created in the story.

"How's Sakura holding up?" Hinata asked quietly an hour later.

Naruto hesitated a moment before answering, "Not so good. She was the one that finished Sasuke, and... years later, a part of her still loved him. I could see it in her eyes when she... did it. And lately, she's gotten pretty tight with Kakashi sensei as well, and seeing him die right after... She... she lost one of her best friends, and the one love of her life and her other best friend and oldest sensei in... kami, looking back that whole scene must have taken two seconds, tops, between Kakashi and Sasuke."

She didn't say anything for a while, and for once, Naruto seemed content to be silent. Finally, the lavender-eyed woman couldn't take it any more. "You lost your best, oldest friend and rival and your first real sensei at the same time. So tell me, Uzumaki Naruto, how are _you_ holding up?"

He took so long in answering that Hinata raised her head from his shoulder to see if he'd fallen asleep before he spoke. "I'm alive. That's one point. You, two. Iruka sensei, three... Granny Tsunade, is worth two points, so five; Sai and Sakura are two points each, so nine... the rest of the 'rookie 12', so... umm... let me think. Shika, Choji, Ino, Shino and Kiba, Lee, Tenten and Neji- so that's seven more points. Sixteen, right?" She nodded, smiling slightly, and he kept on, "Teuchi and Ayame... and five points for the ramen. So that's twenty-four points. Two points for Gaara and one for Kankuro and Temari. And I guess you can have a hundred million extra points for being the village's best girlfriend."

She snuggled a little closer to him and asked softly, "So what are the points for?"

"That's the number of reasons I have to keep living. There's only two against, so... looks like I'm doing pretty good." He pulled her even closer, one hand running through her dark indigo hair.

"Just the village?"

"Well... no, the whole Fire Nation."

"I see. Not the world? Do I need to send another letter to Princess Gale reminding her to stay away from my boyfriend?"

"... maybe..." Naruto began slowly, pretending to look thoughtful. The expression was so unusual on his face, though, that Hinata burst into laughter.

When she could control herself again, her expression was serious. "Naruto..."

"Hm?"

"You really okay? Do you want me to stay here tonight?"

Naruto groaned loudly, pulling her closer still, "I'd love it if you did. But Neji'd be here in half an hour if you aren't home in fifteen."

Smiling, she stood and headed for the door, casually throwing out, "Silly Hyuga and their traditions... honor, virtue, all that...."  
Her hand was on the doorknob when, without a sound, his arms snaked around her waist again to pull her in close for another hug. His lips met her ear just once and he whispered, "I love you."

She leaned back against him, inhaling his scent, and murmured, "I love you too. I'm helping at the Academy tomorrow, so maybe I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

"These four Jonin will be your sensei and team leaders until you reach the rank of Chunin." The Hokage's clear voice rang out across the small training field of the Konoha Academy , and all eyes were on her- except those of one Hyuga Hinata, who was watching from the Academy roof, Byakugan activated.

"Heh, Naruto..." she said affectionately.

Kiba and Shino, standing beside her, glanced at her and then down to the blond, who stood out like a diamond in a dung heap amid the dark-haired and -clad shinobi before him, but she knew neither would spot what she had. "Look at his hands, his posture. He's tight as a spring, his hands behind his back at attention? He's really nervous."

"Nervous? Ha! I'll never let him live this down, scared of a bunch of kids. That Naru-"

Suddenly turning to stare him down, her eyes narrowed, Hinata growled, "You will if you know what's good for you, Inazuka Kiba!"

Surprised, he backed down at once, but she heard him muttering to Shino seconds after she'd turned back to the show, "Man, I miss the _old_ Hinata... she never would've had the guts to threaten me- and it worked, too!"

At that, even Shino laughed.

Meanwhile, at the podium below, Tsunade's speech continued.

"The twelve of you show exceptional skill. Two of you even graduated from the Academy early. But don't let that talent go to your heads. Instead, follow in the footsteps of the great shinobi who have gone before you. Work Hard. Do not let _anything_ keep you from your goals and dreams- whether they're for you, or the village."

Most of the watching eyes flicked to Naruto for a moment, but he was oblivious to the Gondaime's indirect praise.

"Shizune," Tsunade said quietly, looking back at her assistant, "would you call the names, please? My throat..."

Masking her sudden concern, the Jonin stepped forward and held up a piece of red paper.

"Let's get the big one out of the way first- the members of Team One, led by Uzumaki Naruto."

Many of the crowd clapped, pleased they wouldn't have to wait too long, and Naruto visibly paled.

"Yamanaka Inoko," Shizune's voice rang out, and a child Naruto had heard of but never met stepped forward from the ranks, and those closest to the blond could see the puzzle pieces falling into place in his head.

_Yamanaka Ino + Mystery Father + A black-haired Yamanaka... She's Sasuke's kid! Granny Tsunade... wants me to train Sasuke's girl? Oh _crap!

The girl, who couldn't have been older than he had been when he graduated, watched Naruto's eyes as she stepped forward to stand beside him facing the crowd as well.

_Her eyes... they're Sasuke's, no doubt about it. Did she... inherit the Sharingan? And what about Ino's jutsu?_

"Aburame Tenchi," Shizune called, and Naruto's thoughts were jerked over to the second young girl walking toward him calmly.

_Aburame... Shino's cousin? Or maybe little sister? I can't tell much, but she kinda looks like him. Too young to be his... daughter, though... right?_

"Hatake Kamisori," Shizune called out again, and this time the crowd fell dead silent- including Naruto and those watching from the rooftops. Shooting a quick glance back at the Hokage, Naruto was surprised to see that she alone seemed unfazed by this revelation.

But the silver-haired boy of about thirteen stepped forward calmly to join the rest of his new team. His eyes, like his apparent father's, were as dark as Sasuke's had been. In fact, were it not for the hair color, Naruto would have guessed that Kamisori and Inoko were siblings.

Mitarashi Anko stepped forward a few paces from the ranks of Special Jonin and spoke directly to the Hokage, but in a voice carrying enough to be heard by the entire crowd, "The three of us had decided to have the boy keep my name, but in light of Ka... recent events, my son and I have instead chosen to change his name to his father's, to carry on the line."

The older woman stepped backward to join her peers, and the crowd's murmurs began again while Shizune cleared her throat.

"Team two, led by Haruno Sakura, consists of thee rookie Genin. Inazuka Doken," here Shizune was interrupted by a fit of coughing from Tsunade that had her at the Hokage's side in moments, a concerned expression on her face. The two carried on a rushed, whispered conversation before the younger hesitantly walked back to the podium and resumed her role, the Inazuka clansman already at Sakura's side.

"Um... joining Inazuka and Haruno will be... uh... oh, Rock Li."

Titters of laughter floated up from the crowd, but those in front were silent, visibly stunned. Rock Lee- a Genin again? But no... the boy that stepped forward wasn't him. He was too young, but- it was like staring back in time. There was the green jumpsuit, orange leg-warmers, probably bulging with weights, the eyebrows, and the hair... only the eyes were different. His were smaller, and an otherwise pleasant shade of light green that clashed horribly with the jumpsuit. Thirty feet away with the Chunin, Rock Lee was vibrating with excitement, but his expression stoic. Further down the line, Gai was staring straight forward, but there was a small smirk on his lips as well.

"And lastly, Akimichi Soren."

This member of the Akimichi clan looked almost nothing like the few Naruto had met before. She was a slender girl, almost gaunt, but the bright crimson hair was very like Choji's father's. The girl stepped forward to join her team without a word, and Shizune continued.

Sai's team was announced next, but the blond's mind was already whirling with the information he'd received in the last few minutes. _Granny Tsunade, sick... maybe... no. But Shizune's so worried. And Sasuke's daughter's on my team, along with a bug-girl who may be Shino's daughter. And... Kakashi sensei's son? Why me? What's so special? And then Sakura gets stuck with Choji's kid cousin or whatever, some dog-breath Inazuka, and someone who could almost be Lee's clone? What's going on here?_

By the time Shizune's ringing voice broke into Naruto's attention again, the last of the new Jonin was receiving his first student/teammate. With a surprise, Naruto looked over to see none other than Nara Shikamaru. _When did he get promoted? And... why didn't I notice before?_

"Two of Nara Shikamaru's team will be siblings, Kenji Maeda and Kenji Makoten."

The brother and sister stepped forward confidently, and, as usual, Shikamaru looked... bored. The habitual cigarette was hanging from his mouth, for once unlit.

"And lastly, to finish out Team Four, we have Sarutobi Shinata."

_Wow... Asuma's kid on Shikamaru's team. I guess he can keep his promise after all. And I'm not the only one getting assignments like that._

* * *

"Uh... right then. You three, grab your gear and meet me at... training field six in an hour."

The three young teens looked at Naruto expectantly, Kamisori going through the effort to hoist his rucksack a little higher on his shoulders.

"Oh, you're... ready. Then... let's go."

Blushing slightly, Naruto couldn't help but feel like an even bigger idiot than normal as he issued such halfhearted commands to his new team. _At least they're obeying. If it'd been me and Sasuke, we'd already have been at each other's throats, with Sakura taking sides against me too._

When the four of them arrived at the field where Kakashi had taken his team most often, with it's long-familiar trio of logs planted in the ground, Naruto received another shock. Sakura's new team was already there, and he could hear her explaining the rules of the same test he had been planning on using. As he dropped to the ground beside her, she held out a pair of bells identical to his own, and he grimaced.

"Sakura... I was gonna use the field. And the bells."

"Excuse me. This will only take a moment," the pink-haired woman said to her team, giving them a polite smile, before leading Naruto across the clearing by the elbow. "I got here first, my turn. It only lasts until lunch- can you do your bell test afterwards?"

_Something about her voice..._

"Uh... I guess. But what should we do in the meantime? I mean, I don't really have a good plan, or-"

Sakura's eyes rolled, and he could _almost_ believe she was her old self, "Naruto... train them. You train by yourself all the time, you've learned from Kakashi, Gai, Iruka, Yamato, Jiraiya, even the Sandaime. You know what to do, you just have to believe in yourself."

She made to turn away, but he caught her elbow about half way around and gently pushed her so she was facing him, hiding her face from the six waiting kids. "Sakura. Are you sure you're ready? I can't place it, but there's something... off about you today. If it's too soon, give your team a day or two off. You... you aren't me, you don't have to throw yourself into things to dull the pain. Do what works for you."

She grimaced, looking into his blue eyes for a moment before replying softly, "It's that obvious, huh?"

"Just to me."

She almost jumped at the calm way he'd spoken. _His voice... is that really Naruto?_

"Well, if it's obvious to you, 'dobe', it's obvious to everyone," she grinned, but both knew it was more than just a little weak.  
"Look... I don't want you to worry, okay? I'm not a little girl anymore. I've suffered heartache and pain, and I can take more. No, I usually don't work through it, but... I don't think I can handle being alone right now. And at least being with them is distracting. I'm just glad I didn't get Kamisori. I don't know if I could've taken that."

_But no mention of her best friend's and her old love's daughter._

"And... Inoko?"

She flinched visibly and started to turn away, but stopped herself before Naruto moved to catch her. "No. I'm not glad about that at all- and I'm not sad, either. It is what it is, right? He chose her, and probably exactly for the reasons he said. So be it. Like I said, I'm not a kid- and neither were they."

She was about to turn around again and rejoin her team when his next words froze her in her tracks.

"Sakura... if you ever need me, I'm there. You know that, right?"

Both groups of kids were growing impatient, the silver-haired boy had actually moved over to talk to the young Aburame girl, who was smiling politely at him. There were birds in the trees around them, and in the distance, Sakura could hear a small dog barking- probably the young Inazuka.

"Naruto... you can't be. We're teammates and friends, but you have Hinata. She loves you, and you love her. Everyone knows it. So devote your time to her, okay? Or better yet, let her devote her time to you. You _deserve_ someone like her, someone who can make you happy. I don't want to screw that up."

Completely nonplussed, Naruto made no motion to stop her as she began walking toward her team again. But halfway across the field, he was suddenly beside her again, whispering in her ear, "What do you mean? You and Hinata are friends, right? She wouldn't mind if we talked- even often. Hell, you could probably spend the night a few times and she wouldn't care. She trusts me, she trusts you. Right?"

"Not really."

The words were practically forced out of her. She tried walking again, anything to escape the question she knew was coming.

"Why?"

Sakura waited... and waited. Finally, she called across the field, "Hey, you six- we're going to need a few more minutes. Can you go watch the other teams, over that way," pointing toward the growling dog, "and we'll meet up with you shortly?" Naruto's team looked to him, and he nodded without meeting their eyes. The six began following their instructions with more than a few glances at their instructors.

"Because she shouldn't. And that's all I'm going to say."

The kunoichi was hoping for some time, any amount of time, really, for her to gather some emotional strength for what was coming. Naruto was such an idiot, especially when it came to things like this, but...

"When? When did it change between us?"

She turned to face him, staring at his eyes, unable to look away. There were tears in her own eyes as she struggled to come up with a response... anything that would make sense. Would be believable... but not be the truth.

"Answer me."

_He sounds so much like Sasuke when he's serious like this._

"I can't. I won't."

"Sakura! How long have we been friends?"

"... since... since he left. That was when I started to get to know you better."

"How long has it been since you... got over him leaving?"

She laughed, but it was humorless. Cold, even. "Over him leaving? A year or ten from now? How long would it take for you to get over it if Hinata suddenly left you, for say, Lee? Or Shikamaru? Or Sasuke? Ino was my best friend... I thought I was over it years go. But now..." and she was suddenly sobbing into his shoulder.

His arms were around her without thinking about it, without thinking about what people would see, even Hinata. _Especially_ Hinata. She would use her Byuakugan without thinking about it. She would see that he was only trying to comfort his friend.

"I'm sorry, Sakura... I have to know. How long since it changed... for me?"

"I can't... tell you, Naruto. I-"

"Don't lie to me!"

"I'm _not_! I just _don't know_! It was... years. Years ago that I realized it. But I can't place when it happened. It was... slow."

He pushed her away just a little so that he could look at her face, watch her eyes as he asked another question, his mouth a hard, thin line. "Honestly. Was it before or after... Hinata finally asked me out?"

Her voice so quiet, even Kiba standing next to her wouldn't have heard without extra chakra running to his ears, she said, "Before. Weeks, months before. Maybe... years."

Expecting hurt, betrayal, pain in his eyes, she looked up at him at last, afraid. _Truly_ afraid, as she hadn't been since the night Sasuke had left. But there was nothing there. No emotion of any kind that she could see, and that was infinitely more terrifying than anything she'd have imagined.

"Go to your team now." His arms fell away and he turned away from her, showing his back. It was tight, rigid. She reached out one hand to touch him, but he roared, "_Go!_" and the woman could hear the Fox in his voice. Heart broken yet again, she ran. Not towards her team, not towards Konoha, not even toward the endless forest that gave the Village Hidden in the Leaves it's name. She just ran, blindly.

**A/N2:** I never noticed how long this chapter is. 10.5 pages single spaced. :)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 3**

_Is there no end to it? A shinobi should be used to pain. That's one of the first lessons we learned in the Academy. We suffer in silence, we are alone. We are taught to endure anything that comes our way. But they never mention the pain you feel for hurting another. And everyone I meet... everyone. They all feel pain because of _me_. My own parents. My best friend can barely speak to me now that I know her secret. My other best friend... wants nothing to do with me. My sensei... if she knew what a coward I was, she wouldn't want anything to do with me either. Everyone I touch, all the people I talk to get hurt. It's better if I go away. I'd kill myself... but I can't. I'm too afraid. Afraid I'd meet Sasuke again, and he would yell at me for being worthless. Pathetic. Dead last- weaker than Naruto._

_It's true, of course. I _am _weaker than Naruto. In almost every way... all the ways that matter. But who cares? I don't care if I hurt. I'm weak- so what? I just... I don't want to hurt them any more. Please, please please pleasepleasepleasepleasedon'tfollowme. Let me leave you behind, let me run away and not come back, let me not hurt you any more. Naruto, damn you, I love you and I can't bear to be around you. I can't see that emptiness, I can't take the pain in your eyes._

And still she ran.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto stood in the field until Shikamaru found him there more than an hour after sunset.

"It's troublesome, you know, when your friends dump their own work on you without a word, not even a thanks."

As usual, the Nara's deep voice soothed Naruto like almost no one else's. "Shika..."

"I know. Hinata told me what happened. Kiba heard everything, too. Most of it, at least. And Shino has a bug on her, we know where she went."

Naruto nodded, but still didn't open his eyes. "What am I going to do?"

The lazy ninja plopped onto the grass beside his friend and lay back, watching the stars, "You know, it's almost as good watching the stars as the clouds."

"Shika."

When the black-haired ninja didn't respond, Naruto finally opened his eyes to look down at his friend. Shikamaru's face was relaxed, serene. His eyes were closed, and his breathing even. _At least someone still trusts me enough to fall asleep with me around. Even Hinata doesn't do it anymore. Sure, at night she's expected home- and I understand why. But she won't even take a nap with me during the day anymore. And most of the villagers still think I'm just that damned Fox._

"You're so easy to read, Naruto," Shikamaru said suddenly, "it's kind of hard to believe that Sakura misunderstood you like that. She must be pretty broken up to have jumped to the worst conclusion. But then... that is typical of her. Last I heard, she was fourteen miles north, near that Temple you met Sora at. She was slowing down. Might have stopped near there."

Naruto said nothing, but Shikamaru just smiled to himself.  
"Well... I'm going to go home. I've got to write a letter to Temari by tomorrow, or she'll have my hide next time she comes to visit. You know she actually told me I should set a date for our wedding in her last letter?"

Naruto shook his head, but didn't freak like he normally did.

"Yeah... just like that. I haven't proposed, I haven't hinted, and she just says 'pick a date for our wedding'. Woman... psychotic, this one. But... I understand why my dad put up with my mom now. That kind of support. Friendship. Trust. Even friends like me and Choji aren't like that. So if you find someone like that, you have to chase after her. No matter what. You know?"

The genius pulled out another cigarette and lit it, taking one deep breath before heading out. Naruto watched him walk away, waving slowly for the first few feet. He called out, "Night, Naruto," and then faded into the darkness.

* * *

There was a knock on her door. "Yes?" Hinata called, thinking it was one of the maids, or maybe Neji-kun.

"Sister? Is it okay if I come in?"

"Hanabi-chan? Um... yes, come in." The woman quickly tied off the yukata and moved over to the door to greet her little sister.

The fifteen year old came into the room quietly and shut the door just as softly. "I don't want anyone to know we're talking. This is personal, so..."

Hinata nodded, understanding at once. When your family could see through walls, it was hard to get a private moment. If one acted suspicious, it was highly likely that at least someone would casually 'stroll by' to hear sensitive information. The two had learned, at a very young age, how to carry on a conversation without attracting attention.

"What is it, Hanabi-chan? Is something wrong with..."

The teenager shook her head slowly, making motions like she was laughing, though her expression remained neutral, even guarded, "No... it's about Naruto."

A little surprised, Hinata said nothing for a moment, then moved to sit at her vanity and brush her hair out for the evening. "Is he hurt? Did he accidentally hurt someone else?"

In the mirror, she saw her sister nod once, watching her eyes in the reflection as well. "He's hurt. But not injured."

Hinata's shoulders relaxed a fraction, but Hanabi's did not. "My team was training near where the rookie Genin were getting to know their teams. We saw both of their Genin leave the field where Team Seven used to train to go watch the others- without their sensei. They were left alone almost all day with no instruction, and they just didn't know what else to do. So Shikamaru and Sai sensei worked with them in the afternoon... and then went looking for Naruto and Sakura."

Even one without the kekkei genkai of the Hyuga family would have had a hard time missing Hinata's face changing color rapidly. It was normally pale, but it went from white to bright red, and then back to a paler color in the space of seconds.

"Is... did anything happen?"

At Hyuga Hiashi's- the girl's father's- request, Hinata had had 'the Talk' with Hanabi, so the younger girl knew exactly what her sister had meant. She shook her head no, and said, "No, no... not like that. They were arguing, sort of. Not fighting, but they were intense. Both of their chakra networks were running almost full-bore when I found them. But there was no yelling, barely any sharp words at all. After a while, this was about three in the afternoon, Naruto turned around, and... Sakura just ran off into the forest. Away from the village. She was... I don't know how to describe it. But if I had to, it would be... like I felt when Konohamaru-kun dumped me for that Moegi girl."

The older of the two nodded slowly, once, then resumed brushing her hair at a snail's pace.

"I'm sorry, big sister. I know it hurts, but... I couldn't hide it. I had to tell you."

Hinata looked around to face her sister directly this time, "There's nothing to be sorry for, Hanabi-chan. I trust Naruto. If anything, what probably really happened is Sakura telling him how she feels, and him rejecting her. Or something like that."

The younger thought for a moment, her eyes closed, and gave a quick nod herself. "Yes... that would fit. In that case, I'm glad, sister. I was worried... you and Naruto are so close, and if he was able to deceive you, to cheat on you..."

Hinata smiled, almost sadly, and replied, "I wouldn't worry too much about that, nee-san. The worst that would happen is... we would break up. It would change my future a lot. His too. But I don't think that will happen. I really do love him, and I trust that he really loves me. So I don't worry too much about Pinky."

Hanabi smiled at the two's secret nickname for Sakura- a nickname Hanabi had given her when Hinata had secretly confided her fears years ago, and went forward to hug her sister. "Good night. Oh... I do have some good news. At least sort of. I met a boy today. One of Naruto's old friends, a boy named Inari. He's sixteen, and a carpenter's apprentice. _So_ cute!"

"Inari... from the Land of Waves?" Hinata asked, surprised.

Hanabi nodded, grinning widely as she continued to walk backwards to the door, "Yes. He and his master are working on one of the new buildings on the edge of town near the training fields. We talked for about two hours."

Hinata giggled out, "You actually talked? No lip-wrestling?"

Her own cheeks as red as her little sister's, the kunoichi's hands flew to cover her mouth, while her sister laughed.

"Yes... actually talked. I kind of liked it. Weird, right?" still giggling, Hanabi left the room, closing the door behind her softly again.

Facing the mirror once again, Hinata brushed her hair automatically, her mind a million miles away.

* * *

"There you are," the voice she least- and most- wanted to hear broke the sound of quiet rain outside the small cave. A flash of lightning in the distance silohuetted the tall, strong form of the speaker, his normally spiked hair drenched and hanging down almost to his shoulders.

"Go away, Naruto."

He didn't listen, of course. He never did unless she hit him. And that never lasted.

"Talk to me," he said, sitting down beside her and pulling her into him. She was freezing, but he had been running until he heard her sobs, so he was quite warm.

"No. I need you to go away."

Naruto was getting the distinct impression of deja vu.

"It's because you think you hurt everyone around you, isn't it?"

Silence, but for the rain and, far distant, a rumble of thunder.

"Yeah, I thought so. Listen, Sakura... I've dealt with feelings like that all my life. Look what I carry around, every damned day. I _do_ hurt a lot of people- simply by existing. I cause them fear, pain, worry that one day I'll lose control and the Fox will be back. But you know what?"

She shook her head, still crying against his shirt. He wrapped his arms tighter around her slender frame and continued, "I learned to live with it. We all hurt people. It's part of life. How many times did I embarrass you, harass you, make you jealous, angry, even furious? Thousands. More than I can even keep track of."

She chuckled dryly, knowing full well it was the truth, but unable to find any mirth in it.

"But guess what? I still love you. Just like I did when we were kids. Well... maybe not like _that_ anymore... I'm not twelve. It's just... I hurt you, you hurt me. We move on. We've hurt each other before, right?"

She nodded, but still said nothing.

"Well, we've been friends for ages. So what's different, now? You... fell in love with me, I guess. But didn't do anything about it, and now you think it's too late. Right?"

Sakura was perfectly still. And that was answer enough.

"Yeah... I thought so. Look... are you even listening to me?"

She gave the barest of nods.

"I said it. I still love you. But not like when we were kids. You are my best friend, aside from Hinata. But I don't love you like I loved that bastard Sasuke, either. You aren't a rival, I don't have to keep up with you. With you, it's all easy. Like it is with Hinata. Do you get what I mean?"

More silence. Another flash of lightning, and then thunder, closer now.

"I mean... I mean I sort of... still love you like I love Hinata."

Outside, thunder crashed again. But Sakura heard none of it. Only the crashing of his heart, met by her own.

* * *

"But..."

The rain had stopped hours ago. The sky was beginning to get lighter toward the east, toward home. There were still clouds scudding across the sky, but that area was clear.

"But what?" her companion asked quietly, his voice a little hoarse.

"How can you love two people? Like that?"

He didn't answer.

"Naruto?"

She pulled away from him again to look at his face. He was dead to the world.

_Naruto... only you. Awake with me all night, and you fall asleep _now_? Oh well... I guess I'd better carry you back. You've carried me far enough already._

* * *

Hinata was waiting on the entryway of Naruto's small apartment when Sakura came around the corner onto his street, the ninja still on her back. The indigo-haired woman's eyes narrowed just slightly, but she said nothing until Sakura finally looked up at the base of the stairs.  
"Sakura-san."

"Hi... Hinata-san. How are- I mean..."

"Don't worry about it, Sakura-san. Thank you for bringing my boyfriend home. Is he hurt?"

The inflection was tiny, almost unnoticeable.

"No... he's just tired. He was... looking for me most of the night. He found me and convinced me to come back."

"From where?" Hinata asked quietly, stepping aside and opening Naruto's unlocked door so Sakura could bring him inside.

The pink haired woman hesitated with one foot on the bottom stair, but reasoned that she wouldn't be jumped until at least she'd put Naruto down, so she walked up the stairs and into the apartment.

"I... I kind of lost it. The stress of losing Sasuke, and Kakashi, and.. well, I couldn't take the team as well. So that little straw of Naruto wanting to use the same field... I just took off. He hunted me down. He's a good friend."

"The best."

Sakura nodded, unable to meet the other woman's gaze, but knowing that her eyes already saw more than she wanted to reveal.  
"You finally told him, didn't you? Why I don't trust you?"

Sakura nodded again.

"It's about time," Hinata said, her tone still calm and polite, but as emotionless as Sai's.

"Hinata... I swear, I don't want to take him away from you. I really don't, you two are perfect for each other. I'd never want him to be unhappy, and he's happiest with you."

"He is, yes."

_She really does hate me, then. She was shy, but never so cold. I guess I should just stay out of his life, then._

"If that's how it is... I'll stay out of his life. Will you tell him, though, so he doesn't think I'm avoiding him? Just tell him... that I can't take it. That I can't be around him if... I don't know. Make me out as the villain. I sure feel like it." And then she left, the door closing on it's own.

"Umm... Hinata-chan? How'd I get home?" Naruto's voice was a little rough, but steady.

She looked down at him, smiling at last, and answered, "Sakura brought you home. She... had some things she wanted me to tell you. She'd done some thinking on the way back, I guess."

Now wide awake, Naruto watched his girlfriend's every move, but kept his face neutral. _He's curious... but not eager. He's dreading it. And oh, Kami, thank you- it's still there, he still loves me._

"I'm sorry, Naruto. She... doesn't think she can remain friends with you. At least, not right now. Her pain is almost unbearable, and... she's very upset. You understand, don't you? She needs space. Maybe permanently."

Naruto nodded and opened his arms. Hinata obligingly sat on his lap and melded herself into him for a few minutes.  
"I feel so bad about it all. On the one hand, if she had told me... we might never have gotten together. Life would be totally different. On the other, she _didn't_ tell me, and I met the greatest girlfriend ever. I feel like it's all my fault, like I should have clued in earlier, or never, or something."

Smiling, Hinata tweaked his nose and said, "It's not all about you, Naruto. This is Sakura's issue, she needs to handle it. If she comes to you... I don't mind you being her friend again. But I want you to tell me next time you go disappearing into the forest overnight with her, okay?"

Knowing the rebuke for what it was, Naruto's face was serious as he joked, "So you can record it for blackmail later? Or tips?"

She slapped him lightly, laughing herself, but again without real joy. And she could see in his eyes that he noticed.

"Hinata... you know I love you, right? For real. That's not ever going to change. I want... I want you to bear my children. To marry me, to live with me until I'm Hokage, until I'm old and gray. I want to die in your arms. Or maybe have you die in mine. When we're _old_. You know that. Right?"

She nodded, her tears suddenly running down her face.

"Naruto... I do. I see it in everything you do. But... you want to do it with her too, and I just can't handle that. I'm sorry... I need some time alone, too. Don't come see me until I come to see you, okay?"

She was gone before her words had sunk in, and then it was too late.

_She... she just broke up with me. She's loved me for most of our lives, and because of my stupid acting without thinking, it's over. Hinata... what have I _done_?_

* * *

"Shikamaru, excellent job. Sai, you as well. As expected from the two of you, of course. So... now that your first review is over, tell me what you _really_ think of your students."

Sai said nothing, but the genius grimaced and murmured something that sounded vaguely like 'women' before turning his gaze to the ceiling. "My team is young. Inexperienced. And special. They're... I imagine Asuma felt the same way when he first met us. A bunch of misfits like no other, except maybe our parents before us. But Kami, it's only been a month and already I feel like I'd die if one of them got hurt. I wouldn't trade this assignment for anything. Not even Temari."

Tsunade whistled softly, and even Sai looked surprised.

"That much of an impression, huh? Don't worry, I won't tell the Ambassador... unless I need some blackmail materiel." Tsunade's grin did nothing to relieve Shikamaru's sudden worry. Smiling or not, the threat had been deadly serious, and he knew she knew he knew it.

"Lady Tsunade... I agree. They are..." Sai stumbled, looking for the right words, "They are like brothers and sisters. And... like children of my own. I don't know that I would go so far as to give up everything for them, but I would give up my own life. Gladly, even. Thank you for assigning them to me."

Tsunade nodded affectionately, but said nothing.

"Lady Hokage..." Shikamaru began after a while, "have you... heard anything about Naruto? Or Sakura, or Hinata?"

The older woman turned away, a sure sign that she didn't want to talk about it, which told Shikamaru all he needed to know. "I understand. Do you have any suggestions?"

She shook her head, frowning gently, "The problem with growing old is that the adults think we have all the answers, and the young think we don't have any. I haven't got a clue what to do with those three... but I feel worst for Naruto. He's going to lose them both at this rate, and then he'll be alone again... probably forever."

"Perhaps... I could tell him who his parents are? That might... I don't know. Not give him any help, but wake him up out of this funk?"

"No..." she said quietly, "I want to do that myself. But I don't think it will help. If anything, it'll just make him mad or more depressed that we didn't tell him sooner. Though how even that idiot hasn't noticed the resemblance by now..."

Sai's eyes, like Shikamaru's, flicked up to the Fourth's face on the mountainside.

"We'll think of something. And if not... it's Naruto. He'll bounce back sooner or later, he always does. I just hope it's not too late."

_On Shikamaru's way out, Shizune came into the Hokage's office without knocking, her expression worried. When the door closed behind him, the two were deep in a whispered discussion. Something happened._


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 4**

The knock on Naruto's door woke him from a dead sleep. He'd been pushing his team hard, trying to find their limits. It was only now that he was truly getting an idea of how far he himself had progressed- looking back at his own memories of training, he had been exhausted and worn after every training session with Kakashi, and now the three Genin couldn't even come close to his stamina. _Makes me wonder how Sakura and Sasuke kept up so long without that damned Kyuubi's chakra._

Naruto's eyes closed again, the pounding already forgotten, but no sooner had his eyelids touched than it repeated itself, louder than ever.

"Hold on! I'm coming, geez... it's five in the morning!" Pulling the very worn, and now too-small cap off his fuzzy yellow hair, the ninja rubbed his eyes and crawled out of bed and into the main room of his apartment.

"Who is it..." he mumbled sleepily, rubbing his face with one hand as he took the last few steps to his door.

"It's me."

Wide awake suddenly, he yanked the door open, his expression horrified. But the boy didn't look injured.

"Kamisori.... what's up?"

The boy shook his head slowly, looking down at his feet. His cheeks were red, and he was wearing the same rumpled uniform he'd been wearing the day before. _That's not like him. The uniforms are almost identical, just like his mom and dad, but he changes them every day. Did he not go home last night?_

"Come on in, kid. May as well get some breakfast. You want some juice while I cook it up?"

The silver-haired teen sat in silence the whole time while Naruto puttered around in the kitchen, making tea and orange juice for the both of them, and making steak and eggs as well- a habit he'd picked up from Hinata, of all people, who had insisted that protein was necessary for a shinobi's breakfast.

It wasn't until they'd both eaten that Naruto broke the silence. "So... what's going on? Doesn't look like you slept much last night. Is it your mom?"

He shook his head, but only stared down into the bottom of his mug of tea, the half-eaten meal pushed away. _That blush hasn't left his face since he got here. I wonder what it is? He ate, at least. That's a good sign. I think... damn, I'm not cut out for advice. I was by myself until I was years older than him!_

"Sensei... I don't know if I can be on the same team as Inoko and Tenchi."

The breath Naruto hadn't realized he'd been holding left his lungs in a rush.

"Wha... what happened? Are they... being mean to you? Picking on you, or something?"

Kamisori's cheeks deepened to a crimson color and he shook his head violently. "No... it's not that. It's just... I'm starting to feel weird. Whenever either of them are around. If I'm with you, or uncle Genma, or mom... or any of my friends, I'm just fine. But as soon as it's those two, or Akamichi Soren... I just start to feel weird. At first, I thought I was getting sick. Now I'm wondering if it's... something else. A Genjutsu they're using, maybe some other Jutsu... but it isn't just me. My friends are starting to act different around them, too. Is there... I don't know. Some kind of jutsu that the sensei teach kunoichi that isn't taught to males? 'cause if there is, I've never seen a hand sign or anything like that. I don't-"

The boy fell silent when his sensei finally put the clues together. Laughing uproariously, Naruto fell off his chair and rolled around on the floor like he was five years old until his sides were aching. When he wiped the tears from his eyes, the Jonin was surprised to see his only male student looking hurt, angry, and very embarrassed.

"No... no, Kamisori... I'm not laughing at you, I promise!" he said, waving his hand quickly, "It's just... some things fit together now that I never understood myself. I brought... well, I lived alone my whole life. Did you know that?"

The boy shook his head, but his lips were quivering like he was on the verge of tears- a shameful occurrence to a thirteen year old ninja.

"Well... I did. I never had anyone to talk to about stuff like this until I was your age, but because of that, I didn't know _how_ to ask, or _what_ to ask if I did. So... that's why it's funny to me. But I promise, I wasn't laughing... Okay, I was laughing at you, but not because you were stupid or anything. Okay? No, sit down." The boy had stood suddenly, looking furious, but Naruto's genuine smile convinced him of his sensei's sincerity.

"On one hand... I think I'm glad you came to me about this. Your dad- my sensei- was... well, in this matter, kind of an expert. But _his _sensei was also one of my teachers. You've heard of the Toad Sage Jiraiya?"

The boy's eyes widened and he looked up at last.

"Yep. He was my sensei too, for a while. I first met him right before Shikamaru- the lazy team leader- became a Chunin. We went on a three-year journey together where he trained me... about lots of things. That was years ago, now. After he died... well... I don't like to brag about this," Naruto said, going into his bedroom and rummaging in a footlocker for a moment, "But... this used to be his. The kanji means 'Oil', and the horns signify the horns of a toad. It's the headband of the Toad Sannin... and it's mine."

"Yours? He gave it to you?"

Naruto shook his head, lost in memories. "No... no, I got it a few months after he died- was killed. You've heard rumors at least, about the missing nin group called Akatsuki, right? Your mom fought them often."

Kamisori nodded.

"Well, he was investigating them, found their main hideout... and ran into their leader. He was tough, but he wasn't tough enough. He died there... we never found much of his body, but Gamabunta- the Chief Toad- reported his death. And he doesn't lie, so... he passed the Toad Contract on to me. That's the summon scroll on my dresser, you can see it there."  
Naruto pointed through the doorway, the boy's eyes following at once. They widened again.

"Well... long story short, a while later I was invited to Myobokuzan. There, I learned the Sage Techniques from the Elder Toad. Pain, the leader of Akatsuki, found me there. I killed... one of him. That's when I was given the headband. But we're getting really off topic. My point is, the pervy sage- Master Jiraiya to you- was a _real_ pervert. You might have seen your dad reading some books- all the time?"

All nervousness or fear forgotten, the wide-eyed teenager nodded, staring raptly at his amazing sensei. "Mom wouldn't ever let me read 'em though. But he used to read them to her a lot, and she'd laugh all the time."

Naruto shuddered thinking about Anko like that, _she's probably kinkier than even the pervy sage could imagine..._ but said, "Well, there's good reason for that. For one... they're crap. Literally. I'm not a really smart guy, you know? I wrote the fourth book. And it was the best seller- which just goes to show you that it's not very good. But he knew his stuff when it came to things like this. So I've got some training..."

Naruto trailed off, suddenly a little worried himself.

"But sensei... if you have some training in this jutsu, or whatever, can't you at least teach me a counter move? Like a genjutsu release, or something?"

Naruto laughed again shaking his head, "No, no... it's not a jutsu. At least, not one that involves Chakra. I'm really not the one to tell you this... But I suppose I'm better than most. When your dad and I had this talk, it was... horrible. I freaked out, bad. So I'll try and _not_ do what he did. Okay?"

The boy nodded, apparently confused, so Naruto felt obligated to warn him. "Now, before I start... damn, I'm so not prepared for this.... anyway, before we start, if your mom ever finds out, you make it _absolutely clear_ that I had _nothing_ to do with starting this conversation- it was all _your_ idea. Right?"

Satisfied with the other's nod, Naruto continued, "Yosh. Second... for this conversation and this conversation only, don't call me sensei. It makes me feel... old. I'm just Naruto, okay? Pretend I'm your big brother or something."

Kamisora nodded again, "Okaay."

_He drawls that out just like his dad._

"Oh yeah... don't lose it over anything I say, okay? It sounds... weird, at first. But I promise it all makes sense... later. Just accept it and move on for now. Got it?"

The younger man nodded once more, and Naruto took a deep breath to steady his own screaming nerves before he began. "Okay... all right then. You see... when a ninja... any man, really, gets to be... a certain age. Yeah, a certain age- about your age. He starts to... oh geez, how did he put this... he goes through some... changes, that was it."

Naruto could feel his own face heating up rapidly, and the one time he dared to meet his student's gaze during the lecture, the boy was literally covering his eyes with his hands so that he wouldn't be forced to see his sensei.

Two hours later, the pair arrived at the same bridge where Team Seven used to spend countless hours waiting for Kakashi to arrive. Sai's team was already there.

"Hey, you're late. Taking after Kakashi sensei already, pencil-dick?" Sai said, as always, with no emotion on his face, but laughter in his eyes.

"_What did you call me?!_"

Fifteen minutes later, Naruto had to explain to both teams why Sai had to report to the hospital to fix his broken nose, and why he would be leading the Genin's first field mission- helping clear a field on the far outskirts of the village.

* * *

"Man, I'm so sick of these D-rank missions... had enough of this when I was a Genin... stupid Sai and his stupid not having faith in his team, thinking they need a warmup... I hate D-ranks, nothing exciting at all, when we get back I'm gonna tell that old lady to..."

An hour into the day's work, the two team's leader was grumbling angrily, his expression a combination of frustration and boredom.

"Hey pen- Naruto-sensei."

Tenchi, a small, almost tiny, young girl had the calmest expression on her own face when the blond whipped around, glaring furiously, but he could both hear and see her teammates- his other two students- snickering behind her.

"_I do not have a small penis!"_ he roared, sending several flocks of birds into flight across the field. All six Genin, and the farmer, too, began to laugh.

"Fine! Whatever! Think what you want- I'll show you I'm plenty 'big enough'!" He bit his now well-calloused thumb and clapped the blood against his other palm. "Summoning Jutsu!"

When the massive cloud of smoke disappeared, there was a toad about fourteen feet tall- squatting- in front of Naruto. It was wearing a blue kimono-style jacket, a kotetsu as long as Naruto was tall at his side, and a gigantic smoking pipe in his mouth. "Naruto? That you, kid?" the toad said slowly.

"Gama... Gamakichi? You got pretty big! Almost as big as your old man!" Naruto laughed, all embarrassment forgotten.

"Heh, no way. He's even bigger, like a giant! Rumor has it he's going to pass the Great Mountain Toad in size before he dies- and I'm betting on it!" The toad reached out with a front flipper to clap the blond on the back and knocked him into the dirt. He was laughing when he stood up.

"Hey, listen, Gamakichi... do you think you could help me out a bit? These kids have a dumb mission to clear the field, but it's taking _so long_... wanna help us out?"

"... not really."

"But-"

"Naruto... this is your first mission as a team, right?" The toad's eyes lowered to Naruto's level as he spoke. "You gotta learn to work together. That's the point of stuff like this. You said it yourself when Kakashi announced you'd never have missions like this again. So... why should I do all the work, and keep your team from getting stronger?"

Naruto mumbled something unintelligible, scuffing his sandals into the dirt.

"Besides... I've got a hot date I don't want to get all smelly and dirty for!"

In another huge puff of smoke, the toad was gone.

"Wow- sensei, you can summon a toad that big? And it didn't take any help, or a summoning circle, or anything?" The speaker was Inoko, so far the quietest of his team- which was a big change from how Naruto remembered her mother being. He grinned a little sheepishly, and said, "Gamakichi's one of the sons of the biggest toad I can summon- the Chief Toad, Gamabunta. _He_ says I have the chakra to summon the Great Mountain Toad like the pervy sage did, but I have to perform a certain... task first, and I've... never gotten around to it."

Curious, Inoko asked, "What task?"

"I... I have to let the toad breathe fire on me. Cook me alive. And then eat me."

All three of the children shuddered.

For the rest of the mission, Naruto's ego rapidly inflated back to it's normal state hearing his students whisper to each other about how great and powerful their sensei was, and how lucky they were to have him.

* * *

When Naruto stepped out of his tiny shower, he heard someone rifling through the cupboards of his small kitchen on the other side of the wall. He got dressed quickly, sure he knew who it was. _Only Hinata knows my kitchen well enough to cook that fast._ But though it took less than a minute, and he was still dripping when he stepped out, the woman was gone. His cupboards were stocked, but there was no other change that he could see. He ran to the door and looked down at the street, but again there was no sign of her.

With a sigh of relief, Hinata lightly jumped from his rooftop to the next apartment over before making her way back home.

_Hinata. Damn it, I miss you. How come you haven't come to talk to me? Sakura won't say a word to me either. She avoids me like the plague. It's like... when I was a little kid._ And then the memories began to come back in a flood, overwhelming him with pain and grief. But this time, there was no one there to comfort him, to hold him, to protect him at his weakest.

* * *

"All right, mom, I'm heading out. Thanks for letting me borrow this again!" Sakura called, keeping her voice as upbeat as she could, which was becoming habit finally. _I hate lying to everyone... but if they knew how hard this was, they'd tell Naruto and he'd come find me. And then he'd lose Hinata._

The woman flew down the streets at a dead run, not wanting to be late for her team's first mission either. But she needn't have hurried. When she reached the village's main gates, none of the three were there. Just Hinata, leaning quietly against the torii arch and the two gate guards.

"Hinata-san. Good morning," Sakura said hesitantly.

The indigo-haired woman opened her eyes and looked over, showing Sakura the tears on her face. "Sakura... I'm sorry. It hit me last night how cruel I've been to both of you. How selfish and... blind I've been. I truly thought he would be happier with me, but I know better now. So..."

Sakura walked forward to stand beside the other woman, who was still trying to say whatever she'd obviously been planning to say.

"So I... I'm going to break up with him today. His team finally has a day off, so I'm going to spend a little time with him and tell him then. When you come back from your mission tomorrow, he'll be all yours. That way you can both be happy."

"But Hinata..." Sakura said, "what about _your_ happiness? And didn't we already say that Naruto would be happier with you? I'm a bitch to him all the time, but you... you're always there when he needs you."

"I... I wasn't last night. He was devastated by something. On his kitchen floor, sobbing. Because of me, I think. And I left him there. I didn't want to be around him. That's how I know... he'll be better off with you."

Sakura wanted to reply, but Hinata was already walking back toward the Hyuga estate, her back stiff.

_Naruto... _

* * *

At dawn the following day, Haruno Sakura knocked on the door of one Uzumaki Naruto. He opened the door almost at once, and the woman's heart broke to see his eyes, red and puffy, his face still wet. _He hasn't slept at all. Damn you, Hinata..._

Without a word, Naruto pulled Sakura into the apartment and shut the door.

Two apartments away, another woman, this one dark haired with almost-white eyes, looked away from the pair. _Damn you, Naruto..._


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 5**

Just inside the door, Sakura and Naruto stayed locked in each other's embrace until the kunoichi two blocks away couldn't take the sight of it anymore and deactivated her kekkei genkai. She sobbed quietly to herself for what felt like hours, and then, in a flurry of motion, sprang up and out an open window, heading far out into the night.

* * *

"Ler her go, Neji," Hanabi said quietly. Both pairs of eyes were tracking their family's heiress as she fled the village much as her rival had before. "She'll be back. She loves him too much to stay away... at least, I hope so."

The teen's older cousin nodded, but his expression remained worried. "I know she can take care of herself as well as anyone. But I've never seen Hinata in such turmoil."

* * *

Three hours later, a cramp in Sakura's leg forced her to move. The two had basically collapsed just inside the doorway. Naruto had apparently lost all will to move, to even stand upright, and he'd pulled the woman down with him. As soon as she moved her aching leg, though, Naruto's big hand gripped the inside of her thigh, sending tingles up her spine. "Don't... don't leave me. Everyone always leaves..."

She had been strong for him, all through the morning. But those words broke her, and suddenly she was crying harder than she ever had, holding the blond ninja as tightly as she could in their awkward position, whispering, "I'm here, and I'm never leaving you," over and over.

* * *

"Fine. Thank you for letting me know, Neji," Tsunade said, her brow creased with both anger and worry. "Don't let Lord Hiashi know just yet. If she's not back by tomorrow, we'll let him know and form search teams. If they haven't found her in a week after that... I'll have to declare her a Missing Nin. You know what that means, I'm sure."

Neji nodded.

"I'll have to send Hunters after her. They won't... be kind."

Neji nodded again gravely and said, "I mean no disrespect, Lady Hokage... but... are you sure you aren't letting your personal feelings for Naruto affect your judgment?"

The Hokage froze for the space of a heartbeat, her expression thoughtful, yet still angry, "No," she replied, leaning back with a sigh, "No, if I was doing that... I'd have already tracked down Hinata and beaten her into a bloody mess for what she's done to that boy. No... it's the law. She has a kekkei genkai- a week's all we can wait. And if she won't come back willingly, we... we'll have to take her down so the Byuakugan- not to mention your family's taijutsu- doesn't fall into enemy hands."

The Jonin nodded once more and asked, "Permission to be on one of the teams looking for her, if it comes to that?"

"...denied."

"But Lady-"

"There will be no Branch Hyuga on that mission. Then we'd lose_ two_ of our most powerful ninja because of that damned seal."

Neji sighed again and said, "Lady Hokage, I do not believe that Hinata would use the curse seal against me."

The woman looked hard into his face for a moment and said quietly, but with steel in her voice, "Love makes people do crazy things- and we can't take that chance. Besides, you are the strongest Hyuga. If Tenten's little boy has the Byakugan, who better to train him than his own father?"

The elderly ninja smiled inside at how quickly she'd changed his whole train of thought. _Still got it!_

But all Neji could contain in his brain was _I'm having a son! My firstborn is a _son_!_

* * *

Hinata continued to run. West, north. Maybe. All she knew was that Konoha- Naruto- was behind her. _My pain will all be behind me soon enough, too. He'll move on, Sakura will help him. Someday maybe I'll find someone else to admire, to support... to love. Maybe._

And she ran on.

* * *

When Sakura woke up again, her face was buried against a hard pillow that was moving up, down, regularly. _Thump, whump. Thump, whump. Naruto's heartbeat. I've wanted to be this close, to hear that for so long... almost as long as he's waited to hear mine. All that time wasted because of damned Sasuke... and my own damned pride._ She opened her eyes slowly to get her bearings, but it was almost unnecessary. _Naruto's bed. When did we come in? It was... what, three in the afternoon when I fell asleep?_

She couldn't see the clock in his room from where she lay, her head on his chest. Their legs were twisted together, and she could feel one of his muscular arms wrapped tightly around her waist, the other resting near the top of her head, tangled in her still-short hair.

"Woke up finally?" He said quietly, making her jump.

"Sorry... what time is it?" She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer. But the sun was still shining through the window.

"About five-thirty. After you fell asleep, I realized what an ass I was being and brought you in. Sorry... for dumping all that on you."

The kunoichi shook her head slightly, unwilling to raise her head from his chest to do it harder. "No... no, Naruto. You don't get to apologize for that. For today. For being _human_. She... what Hinata did was..."

"It doesn't matter."

Now getting angry, Sakura pushed herself up off of him to turn and glare as she said, "It _does_ matter, Uzumaki Naruto! If there's one person in this whole damned village who didn't deserve to be... treated like that, it's _you._ You've sacrificed so much, and risen above it all... she should be treating you like a king still. Not... leaving you when you need her most."

His composure crumbled, and tears leaked from his blue eyes before he knew they were coming.  
"Naruto! I'm... I'm sorry! Please, don't-" she started, but he shook his head violently and yanked her back down to lay half across him.

"Sakura... whether I deserved... anything that's happened to me has never been an issue, has it? All my life, since I had the Kyuubi placed inside me, I've been cursed by almost everyone I meet. So what? I didn't deserve it, but it happened.

"Hinata... leaving me. Well... I can't say if I deserved that, or not. Part of me says I did." He held a finger to her lips when she tensed, trying to say something, "I did. I know I did, and maybe one day I'll be able to explain why. But it doesn't matter if I did or didn't, _it happened_. I just... I need to move on, like always. Almost as much as I need to mop my hallway."

The weak attempt at humor made Sakura chuckle, and she knew he'd be okay- eventually.

"Naruto..."

"It's okay, Sakura. You're still my friend, I still have Sai and Granny Tsunade. Ichiraku's and Iruka-sensei, and now I have my students too. I'll... be all right. I promise. It may not happen soon, but it will. So don't worry too much, okay?"

She rose half way to turn and look at him again. _His eyes... I could look at them forever... except for his mouth. It keeps drawing me away._ "Naruto... you're a much stronger ninja than I'll ever be. But I'm not envious. I'm proud of you."

He chuckled, one hand still gripping her right arm tightly and replied, "Stronger than you? You can level a building with a punch, Sakura. You're way stronger than me!"

"Naruto... you're so dumb sometimes." But this time, it was without rancor. Without anger, or any of the negative feelings she had used for... _Kami, how long have I been using that as a shield? Since I was... oh _Kami_. I might have been in love- sort of- with Naruto _before_ Sasuke! _This time, it was said with care and compassion.

His arm slipped slowly from her arm upwards to her shoulder, then glided further still to caress her slender neck, then around to the back of her head, threading his fingers through her hair. She couldn't feel any pressure, but the gesture was like a weight around her neck, pulling her downwards.

The blond closed his eyes first, hers right after.

_So soft. Warm. Like... _Naruto_. His lips are like he is. Soft, caring, love... yes._

After a moment, she pulled away, and he didn't resist. He was looking at her carefully when she opened her eyes, a cautious grin on his face. _Does he think I'd hit him again? Not that I could blame him..,. Every other time he's tried it I did._

"Naruto... wow. How come you never kissed me like that before?"

He turned a little pink in the cheeks and had to avert his eyes from her face while he answered, "You never gave me a chance. I can't blame you, 'course, I just... you aren't going to hit me, right? You seemed to like it. Was it okay?"

She pulled away, scowling, and his arm fell from her head in worry. His eyes had just started to cloud over in fear when she spoke. "Naruto... men shouldn't over-analyze too much. It's not healthy. No, I'm not going to hit you. I don't think I'll hit you for kissing me, for touching me, ever again."

And just like that, his goofy grin- that hadn't changed since she'd met him- was back. "So... was it good? I mean, I'm just trying to get a feel for how you might like it... the only girl I ever really kissed before was Hin..." he trailed off, unable to bring himself to finish her name yet.

But through the sudden renewal of pain in his eyes, he was still grinning.

"Silly man. Yes, I liked it. But what makes you think I'm an expert? I've only kissed three guys."

"Just three?" he asked, incredulous.

"Yep. You, Sasuke, and Lee."

"You _kissed_ Lee? Rock Lee? Green-spandex-bushy-brows?" If he'd been vertical, his jaw would be on his chest. As it was, she could tell he was dying to wipe any bushy-brows-cootie traces off his lips, but he restrained himself- thankfully.

"Yes," she sighed, laying back down on his chest, "It was a long time ago, a little while after Sasuke left. He was being really nice to me, trying to help me get over it. Now... I know what you're thinking, Naruto, and stop it. We both know Lee's... well, Lee, but he's a really nice guy. He was a perfect gentleman, the whole time, when I really needed someone. So... I kissed him to say thanks. That's all it was, honest."

The light growth of yellow beard on his chin scratched against the top of her head as he shook his own, but he didn't say anything else.

"Sasuke, well, you know that was a given. So I'm not really all that good at it, either. Sorry. But yes, it was good. Great, maybe."

One of his arms fell over her again, and he shifted so that they were laying next to, and facing each other. But the arm remained. He propped his head up on the other arm, and Sakura pulled the pillow under her own head.

"So... how can I get better?"

She rolled her eyes painfully far at that. "Naruto... it's not a jutsu. There's no training. Just... practice. You'll learn, just like everyone else does. Me too."

His expression was somber. He looked at her for a long time. _Get on with it, Naruto._ But he still waited.

"You know... I've waited my whole life to be right here."

She smiled. "Not your whole life, I hope. You really do love Hinata. Right?"

"Yeah... of course I do. You know I wouldn't fake something like that. But I never stopped my little crush on you, either. But it sure did get stronger over the years."  
Her voice low to match his own, she said, "Yeah... it's funny. Looking back, I thought what I felt for Sasuke was _real_ love. Like it was the most powerful thing ever. But with this 'adult' perspective... even the love I have for my parents is far stronger. And now... with you... it's funny how much stronger it is, and how little we understood back then."

"Heh... both the pervy sage and Granny Tsunade would say something like 'and it gets stronger, too'."

"Kami, I hope so."

She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes, but she could feel him shifting so that he was leaning over her. "Sakura..."

"Hm?"

"I'm not sure I'm getting it. I think I've got the theory, but I could use some more practice..."

She cracked an eye and replied, "All right then. Here's your coach's instructions- be sure to follow them rigorously for the next... foreseeable future."

He nodded seriously, and she closed her eye again. _Not letting you get away this time, Naruto_.

"First, you have to perform at _least_ five kisses every time you see me. Even if I don't see you. That means there'll be spaces, so you can't forget what you've learned between them.  
The bed shook a little as he nodded. "Yeah. Got it. Next?"

"Second, and this is the most important rule by far, you don't get to practice on anyone else without my express permission. Okay? And I hate to break the mood... but that includes Hinata."

"Got it. Wouldn't anytime soon anyway." And she couldn't detect any hurt this time.

"Third, you have to start right away. Crash course time, you're... not way behind, but need a lot of practice _right no-"_

_At least he's not making me wait. He's... wow._

The sun had gone down long ago when things moved too far. Naruto's big hand had cupped her breast easily, and she was all right with that. She'd moved onto his lap and the two were locked around each other as much as they could be with all their clothing still on. Their lips hadn't strayed any further down either of their bodies than necks... but she was okay with that too.

It was when his hands wrapped around her butt, giving each cheek a squeeze, that she'd had enough.

"Naruto!" she said quickly, sharply, and pulled away. He froze, didn't move a muscle. Didn't even breathe, while she disentangled herself and got off the bed, moving to the far corner of the room. She stood there watching him while she caught her breath- _when did I last breathe?_

"I'm sor-"

"No, no, Naruto... you don't have to be sorry. I liked it, I really did."

"Did? What did... did I do something wrong?"

She shook her head quickly. "No, nothing like that. It's just... she only broke up with you last night. I don't... I don't want to move too fast, that's all."

He flopped back onto the bed and closed his eyes. "I see. You just... aren't ready for that."

"Naruto..." she moved back over to him and slowly lay down next to him, clasping one of his hands in hers, "It's not that. Believe me, I'm _more_ than ready. I just... don't want to be your rebound girl. I want us to last. Do you know what I mean?"

He opened his eyes to look at her, still breathing heavily. "I don't get it. I love you, I have for years. You say you've loved me for years... why would we fall apart 'cause it's so soon?"

Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. _That question was just so Naruto. He's so clueless about relationships._

"Just... trust me. You know when Ino and Shikamaru got together after his third breakup with Temari? They'd been friends forever, and now... they can barely speak to each other civilly. Because it was too soon. It ruins relationships. Not all of them, but I'd rather not chance it."

"Well... I don't get it, but if it's what you want..."

"Thank you, Naruto." But she still needed- for herself- to reassure him. "Trust me, I do want it. I want _you_. But... we have to move slow. Give yourself a little time to finish getting over Hinata, and then we can... I don't know, do what couples do. Start dating, things like that. We've got to get to know each other more, too."

He laughed out loud, "Get to know each other more? Sakura, we've been friends for almost ten years!"

She scowled again, but his grin didn't fade. "Listen, Naruto... you don't know the _half_ of me yet. All you've seen is mean, angry, Punch-you-in-the-face-for-looking-at-me-wrong Sakura. You haven't met Loves-Uzumaki-Naruto-and-wants-to-prove-it-to-the-whole-world Sakura. They're worlds apart, trust me."

"I _guess_ I could go through the work to learn the new you... if it's not too troublesome."

The mimicry was dead-on, and she couldn't help but laugh herself. "Don't let Shika hear you say stuff like that. If he knew what he really sounded like...he'd die of shame!"

This time, they both laughed.

"Sakura..." he said when they had finally stopped.

"Yeah, Naruto?"

"I really want to kiss you again. If I'm allowed to."

"Allowed? Not really. But I won't hit you if you do it again."

It was chaste, clean, like the first one this afternoon. _And so right. Sasuke was just... cold. Wet fish doesn't begin to cover it. But Naruto... _

"All right, Naruto. Thanks for dinner, and... well, everything," the woman said as she slipped on her sandals.

"No, Sakura... thank _you_."

The two smiled at each other like love-sick teenagers until, realizing how dopey she probably looked, Sakura blushed and finished her shoes.  
"So... I have a mission all next week."

"I'll be working in the hospital and training. Gai and Lee want me to brush up on my Taijutsu so I don't screw up Li."

"Wait.. Lee and Lee?"

She grimaced and answered, "No... Li. Shorter. Gai's son. Of _course_ he named his real firstborn after the son he wished he had... but if anything's certain, it's that it's too late to save Li. The damage is done, and he's going to be just like them- though more like Gai. He can actually _use_ jutsu."

"Heh, so it's not Lee's kid. I was wondering. But isn't Gai-sensei a little old for kids?"

"Not medically speaking. Men can have kids until the day they die. You have it easy."

"So-" he was interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps running up the stairs to his apartment.

Sakura opened the door to find Choji, now far more muscular than fa- husky, heaving on the top step, his hand raised to knock.

"Oh... glad you're both here. I've got five other people to find, since it's both of you. Listen- we have an emergency. Hinata's missing, hasn't been seen since about an hour after... well, her little shouting match with Naruto."

"Hey! We weren't shouting!" Naruto said defensively, but Choji just raised his hands to fend him off. "That's just what the rumors are saying. I was trying not to mention break-up, but..."

"Wait... Hinata's _missing_?" Sakura said, and it began to sink in to Naruto as well.

"She's... oh kami!" he said, and whirled around to grab his own sandals.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 6**

When Hinata stopped running, her first real, conscious thought was to take stock of her situation. It didn't take too long, apparently her body had been screaming at her for... hours, maybe. She'd just been in too much pain to care.

_Twigs and leaves in my hair. Clothes getting ripped in at least seven places, big scratches under those holes. I think I sprained my wrist when I hit that tree. My nose and forehead are both swollen and bruised- at least my nose didn't bleed. I have no food or water, I'm at least a day from Konoha... maybe more. But I have no idea where I am. Great._

It wasn't that the emotional pain was any less, now, it was only that the physical pain was starting to catch up. Instinct was taking over, making her _think_ instead of just run. The indigo-haired woman activated her Byakugan to scout the area around her, looking for food, water, shelter. She was about half way done with the first mile around her when she heard a tree branch above her creak, and whirled just in time to see two ninja land on either side of her.

"Well, well... a little Fire kunoichi. What are you doing way out here in the Land of Stone, little girl?" the first, smaller one asked slowly. His voice wasn't particularly menacing, but the way he spoke was, in the woman's opinion, _creepy_.

"I was just... on my way to visit some relatives in the Village Hidden in the Stars, and I-"

"Heh heh... so, we already start with the lies. Your masters in Konoha taught you well, huh little one? The Land of Stars is _that_ way," he said, hooking a thumb over his shoulder, "and you're heading straight for the capitol. Sounds to me like you're on a mission- a scouting mission. So maybe we should just stop with the lies right now, mm?"

She nodded once, quickly, desperate to keep him talking, to give herself a chance- any chance- to get out of this situation.

"Well, well... reasonable, hm? Let's see, let's see... where to begin..." the smaller shinobi trailed off, a finger on his chin, and the larger spoke in a gravelly, yet cultured voice, "You know you're in the Land of Stone, a country that has been at odds with the Land of Fire for years. You're alone, and didn't notice us as you ran by us- though we weren't hiding."

Hinata's eyes widened just a little.

"Yes, yes... my partner is right, yes... we're border guards, see little girl? No reason to hide, just stay in plain sight and let the Fire shinobi fret about us watching them watch us. But you move pretty quick, even if you aren't paying attention, and we had to chase you a good ways. Don't think you'll be getting back to Fire so easy, no, no little missy."

The big one shook his head slowly, "No need to scare the girl, partner. We just need to have a few more questions," and the two took a simultaneous step forward. Hinata attempted to back up, but she was already against a large, gnarled tree trunk and had nowhere to run.

"So, so... far from home, and no backup. A scout, maybe, maybe... but scouts run in pairs, most like, hmm Kamagi? Yes, yes... that they do."

"You a runaway, little missy? Couldn't take the heat? Or some young lord decided he'd rather have a pretty shinobi like you in his bed than his ugly, rich wife? Can't say's I blame him for that, heh, Tsukuro?" Taking another step forward, the big one, Kamagi, glanced toward his partner with a lascivious grin, and Hinata took the distraction to make a break for it.

Unfortunately for her, both of the Stone shinobi were counting on her taking that break. The ham-sized fist connected with her sternum just hard enough to knock the air out of her. As she struggled for breath laying on the forest floor, the large ninja towered over her and said slowly, "That wasn't very polite. Not nice to run away from a couple of gentlemen who just want to spend a little time talking to a pretty young girl like you."

Hinata's terror reached all new heights at that, and for the first time in six years she blacked out.

* * *

Four powerful Genin, most of Hinata's Chunin class, and thirty-five of the village's available Jonin force were on the hunt for one of their own. Naruto and Sakura, unable to track with anything other than training, and minimal at that, were forced about half way through the first day to stay back and help coordinate the other teams, such as the Aburame and Inazuka families' volunteers, and it was driving both of them crazy- but Naruto was worst off. _Damn it, I should have gone after her. I should have never let her break up with me, just given in instead of arguing, done- something. _Anything_ to keep her from leaving. It's all my fault, she fought with me because of my own stupidity, that's why she left, and now if anything happens to her it's all because of me. I can't believe I was so st-_

But his thoughts were interrupted by the slender, pink-haired woman standing in front of him, hands clasped before her, holding a small scrap of paper. As soon as she'd seen his attention go to her, she flew into his arms and whispered while he held her tight, "Shizune just sent word through Katsuyu. Tsunade has absolutely forbidden us to cross the border into the Land of Stone. Relations are worse than normal, even, so... a single ninja could provoke a war."

Sakura worried that Naruto would lose it then, because he started to tremble in anger and frustration, but after a few seconds of deep breathing, he calmed and she pulled away to look at his face.

"It's... damn it, Sakura. Is this what it's like to behave responsibly? To act like an adult? Does it mean I have to abandon one of my precious people, one of my best... damn it, I can't even say it! Do I have to abandon her because of some stupid feud?"

Sakura said nothing, didn't blink, and didn't nod. After a few moments, he pulled her tight again and whispered, "Guess it does. Don't worry, I won't screw everything up this time. We can't afford a war, we're still recovering from everything else... and even I'm not dumb enough to put all those lives at risk for just one person, no matter who it is."

Sakura let herself kiss his cheek just once and whispered, "A year ago you would have. I'm proud of you, Naruto," then turned away to issue more commands to the waiting Genin messengers.

* * *

"_Damn it Hinata! Aren't we a _team_?!"_

Beside the screaming man, a taller one, with hair just a tad darker and even spikier said nothing, but was thinking the same thing. _Hinata... why would you go where we can't follow? Did he make you? No, Naruto wouldn't do that. Were you just that hurt? That scared of a life without him? We would have helped you... through anything. You know that. So... why did you leave us behind like this?_

His other teammate still ranting at the top of his lungs across the border, Aburame Shino sent a few insects, hopefully unseen by the watching border guard, after his other teammate, whose scent they would never forget. The majority of his personal swarm were sent backwards, both to alert the others as to the situation and to distract the guard from the few he'd sent forward. Three hours later, after Kiba had exhausted himself destroying several trees and Akamaru had ceased his whimpering, the two began the trek back toward the camp.

* * *

",,, reckon there's a chance..."

_Ow. That hurt._

_Silence and darkness._

"to, soon. She's pretty light, so I don't think..."

"... yeah, not much longer. Almost..."

"sweet home. Iwagakure, here we come!"

The fear that name conjured in the woman's mind wasn't terrible, but combined with the drug she knew she'd been given, it was enough to push her past the brink once again into silence, and darkness.

"... antidote, double dose. She'll be sick for a few..."

"Look, she's stirring already. Not long now."

"Ah, there you are, missy. Back with us now?" The scarred face of the large man who'd captured her, inches from her face, did nothing for Hinata's mental health, but at least she didn't pass out again. He withdrew after a moment and turned his head to look over Hinata's shoulder. "Yeah, can't smell too much on her any more. Should be all right by tomorrow. You want me to prep the interrogation room, Captain?"

Hinata didn't hear any reply, but she was already terrified again. _Interrogation... like Morino Ibiki-san. They're going to torture Konoha's secrets out of me, and I won't be able to stop them. Everyone breaks, eventually... and then they'll take my eyes._

"Hey, now, don't worry too much, little lady," a new voice drawled from behind her, "not gonna torture you unless I have to. Not much stomach for it, anyway. Especially a pretty thing like yerself."

The smaller of the ninja who'd caught her, whose name she still hadn't heard, frowned a little at that announcement, but said nothing. His hungry eyes hadn't left her since she'd woken, though the larger ninja, Kamagi, was now moving around the sparse room, gathering belongings.

"You two can take a day off before heading to the border," the voice behind her drawled, "but make a full report to General Tsubasa before you head out in the morning, hmm? Let him know I'll be taking care of the lady, unless he has an objection."

The smaller ninja stood from his half-sitting position on the desk in front of her and walked around the couch Hinata was sitting on, still never taking his eyes off her. She heard him ask quietly, "You sure you don't need some help keeping an eye on her, Cap'n? Seems... I donno, a bit fishy to me. She got caught pretty easy, almost too easy. Might be somethin goin on. And those eyes... think I 'eard about 'em once a few years back, one o' the Konoha's most powerful traits, or somethin'."

"Ah... yes, you might be right. But I think I can handle a Chunin, even a powerful one. Right?"

"Yessir. Just thought I'd check, but if you're sure..."

"Yeah, I reckon I am. Oh, and Dokoru, you stay away from the lady's room tonight. Am I clear? If I've got even a whiff of your smell... there won't be enough of you to hand to the Lord High Priest. Got it?"

Hinata didn't hear a reply, but from the stiff sound of the smaller ninja walking out of the room, she knew he was worried- and he'd taken the order to heart, she hoped.

"Now then, missy. You're a Hyuga, aren't you?"

Hinata didn't reply, and the man didn't speak again until Kamagi had also left the room after his partner.

"You don't have to answer that, I s'pose, I already know. I've got an aunt who married into the Uchiha oh... 'bout two generations back now. Kept in touch. No spy stuff, of course, relations between Fire and Stone weren't so bad then, and now she's too batty to be of any use. But still, I heard a few stories and I've got a good memory."

She hated herself for saying it, for being so weak, but she couldn't help but blurt out, "My father is Lord Hyuga Hiashi. If you so much as scratch me, he'll-"

The man laughed out loud. It was almost pleasant, in a way, and Hinata had the sudden urge to look behind herself and get a glimpse of him, but found that she was bound to the couch by padded straps.

"No, can't let you see me just yet, sorry missy. But as for your dead daddy... he's not coming. You know that, right? Even a father wouldn't be crazy enough to start a war over one woman."

Hinata had no reply, so he continued, "Instead, I think it'll be more like this. And correct me if I'm wrong, please. First... your Hokage is going to send a very polite letter to both the Lord High Priest and our Iwakage. This letter is just going to ask for the two nations to open 'negotiations' for your return. We'll negotiate, of course, we aren't the savages you seem to think we are. We might even let you get the better end of the deal, and trade you for some food or something. But if that doesn't work, your Hokage will instead send a team to retrieve you- that won't have any other Hyuga. Because that team will have the secondary mission of killing you if they can't retrieve you. They can't risk you going rogue, or us dissecting your eyes, or whatnot. Am I right so far?"

Again, she couldn't help herself. She nodded once, quickly, and could feel her face flush with the shame of the admission.

"And if _they_ fail, they'll... well, pretty much just write you off. After that much time, they'll have no choice but to assume you've either joined our side, or we've killed you and gotten what information we could about your kekkei genkai and Juken. This whole process, mind, takes about a year. Most of that's wordplay during negotiations, of course. Still pretty right on?"

This time, she was able to control herself, but he seemed to take the stiffness in her neck the same way.

"Yeah, thought so. Listen... you don't need to be so uptight. I promise, we aren't gonna torture you. You aren't an enemy, not outright anyway. You didn't hurt anyone, had no special gear- in fact, you had hardly any gear. So you couldn't have been on a mission. At least, not one without inside help, in which case it's probably too late for us to stop it anyway- your replacement has probably already carried out your job. That's why Kamagi thought you were a runaway. Was he right?"

She was determined, hell-bent on not giving him any clues, but the word practically forced itself out of her mouth. "Y- Yes," and then she began to cry quietly. She considered it a blessing that he, very quietly, got up and left the room soon after, without a word.

That evening, another shinobi wearing the black outfit and headband that seemed standard for a Iwa ninja fed Hinata a few bites of a much larger meal they had prepared, but she hadn't been able to force herself to eat any more. But it didn't matter- minutes after she'd clamped her mouth shut, the ninja stood and walked away taking the food with him. But her vision was already fading.

When she woke, her first, panicked thought was that they'd already taken her eyes. But no, there was no pain. _I'm in a dark room. I don't smell water, so it's not underground. I think. There's... pine. The air is crisp, fresh. No breeze, but I can hear wind. Through the windows nearby, maybe?_

She tried opening her eyes again just to make sure, but the still only saw darkness.

"Byakugan!" she whispered forcefully, and the chakra bulged the veins leading to her eyes, just like it always did.

_Okay, there's the door. Solid, about two inches thick. Oak, maybe. Steel castings, rivets. Can't break those with the Gentle Fist. Stone room, well-masoned. Wooden floor, no spaces to speak of. Clean, cot I'm laying on. Window up there... too high to jump by about six feet. They aren't taking any chances, are they? It's only a foot wide anyway... looks like I'm stuck for now._

For at least six hours, Hinata had nothing to do but think about the choices and events that had led her to this place, to this cell in the capitol of an enemy nation. And of Naruto.

* * *

"Naruto," Tsunade said calmly, "I'm proud of you for your help today. Sakura said she couldn't have done it without you. And coming from her... that says a lot."

The man nodded woodenly, but refused to meet the Gondaime's eyes. "Granny- I'm sorry, Lady Hokage. Permission to speak freely?"

She smiled just a little and sat down behind her desk again, waving for him to proceed.

"I'd like to go after her. It's my fault she left."

Tsunade considered his request for just long enough for him to think she was actually thinking about it before she replied, "I'm sorry, Naruto. You know I can't do that. I've done all I can for now. We just have to wait."

He nodded again and said, "I understand. May I... may I train my team specifically for a retrieval mission for the next month- or until we're needed?"

Tsunade shook her head at his determination and said softly, "Naruto... they're your team. Train them how you want. But if they're only good for retrieval, why not just transfer them to the Hunter ninja teams? A good ninja is a well-rounded ninja. Like you, Sai, and Sakura."

He snorted softly, and the old woman considered for a moment removing his privilege to speak freely. "Quiet- you may not see it, but you are. So you aren't great at Genjutsu, big deal. Neither am I. This whole thing I do to look young is _it_ for me. You can do the same thing, for just as long, on less chakra with your... whatever it's called. The one where you-"

"Yeah, I got it. Geez, Grandma Tsunade... you didn't have to tell me you knew about that one." He looked away, cheeks a little pink, and Tsunade chuckled.

"Listen, Naruto, I want you to understand something. It's _not_ your fault, okay? She left on her own. Neji and Hanabi watched her go. If anything happens to her... it's her fault, and mine for not going after her sooner. All right?"

He mumbled something, but, if she were completely honest with herself, her hearing wasn't what it once was, and she had to ask him to repeat himself.

"I said- I said... I'm sorry. I just don't want to lose another precious person."

She rose slowly and walked around to stand behind him, wrapping her arms around his stomach. Years ago, she'd have teased him by pressing his head into her breasts, but now he was just too tall. Her own face was pressed against the back of his neck. "Naruto... we all have to go sometime. But trust me, it's not Hinata's time. I just... have a feeling, okay?"  
"No offense, Obaa-chan, but your 'feelings' aren't things I'd bet the farm on."

She laughed and gave him a squeeze, then said quietly, "Who said I would bet 'for' it? If I bet against..." and left it there.

By the time she'd returned to her desk, he was grinning again. "Thanks, Granny Tsunade. I needed that."

He had turned to leave, even had his hand on the door, when the Hokage decided that there wouldn't be a better time than now.

"Naruto."

He turned at his usual pace- faster than anyone else would have done- and Tsunade regretted that she didn't have just that fraction of a second more to prepare herself for what she was about to do.  
"Naruto... I think it's time I told you about your parents."

He didn't answer for a long time, but his cheeks had lost their normal glow, and she could see small droplets of sweat on his brow.

"It's nothing to worry about. Come here, sit beside me. I have some photographs I want to show you when I'm done with the story."

For three more hours, Tsunade relayed to Naruto the true story of his parents. How his mother, Uzumaki Kushina, had come from the now-defunct Land of Whirlpools, already a ninja famous for her beauty and deadly skill with Ninjutsu, to act as an ambassador to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. How the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, fell in love with her and the two conceived a son.

At this point, she broke down and downed half a bottle of sake before she could continue.

The whole while, Naruto sat calmly, no expression on his face.

She continued with the attack by the Kyuubi on Konoha at the end of the war with the Land of Stone, and went over again how the fox was sealed inside Naruto. This time, though, she added a little more detail.

"Minato... was a great man. He was the greatest of the Hokage not because of his skill and power, but because he dedicated his life to helping others. He wouldn't pick some random child, not even an orphan, to seal that beast inside of. Instead... he made the ultimate sacrifice. He chose his own son, because only his own son would be strong enough to contain it. Only his own son... well..." Tsunade wiped the tears from her eyes to see Naruto's glistening as well, droplets running freely down his cheeks to drip from his chin.

"Only his own son, his and Kushina's, would have the strength of will to control it's power. Use it... become strong with it, and not let it break them or corrupt them like almost all the Jinkuurichi do. Do you understand?"

Naruto nodded twice, and she could see his throat as he tried to speak.

"Here... time for pictures. Look, meet your mother. You already know what your father looks like."

"She's... beautiful."

Tsunade nodded, putting an arm around his shoulder and pulling him in, "She was. Puts me to shame in my prime, and that without monster boobs!"

Naruto gave a weak laugh and she joined him.

"Who... who do I take after most?" He asked softly when they were, at last, done with the album she'd put together over the last month.

"My memories of Kushina aren't the best, I left the village shortly after she arrived. Jiraiya... he knew her pretty well, Kakashi did as well. He was one of Minato's students, after all. The old lech told me once, a little after you got back from your training mission, that you took after your mother the most. At least, in the most obvious ways, from what he said. You talk too much, stuff like that. Everything that makes you cheerful is from her."  
"My dad was mopey?" Naruto asked, unable to believe it.

"No, silly- he wasn't mopey. He just wasn't like you. More like... Jiraiya. But your other traits... your determination, your drive to succeed, to excel... your compassion for everyone you meet. Those are from your father. He was Jiraiya's favorite student, and one of his best friends. Mine too, now that I think about it. I know old man Sarutobi loved him to death."

"Hey... Granny Tsunade?"

"Hm?"

"How long have you known... about my dad?"

"Honestly? The whole time. When you first walked into the bar with Jiraiya, I thought I was drunk and remembering years before... but I didn't know Kushina was your mother until the day before I brought it up with you. No one knew except the Sandaime and Jiraiya."

"The pervy sage knew?"

"Yeah... I guess I forgot to mention that. The story goes his first book- not an Icha Icha- bombed. But Minato and Kushina both loved it, and the main character's name was Naruto. They named you after him- Jiraiya thought it was a terrible name, but... I think it works for you."

He sat in silence for a while longer, and the old woman was glad that, for once, she had someone she could let herself be close to again.

"Obaa-chan?"

"Yes?"  
"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 7**

It wasn't too long before she knew she was breaking. The Captain- she'd still never heard his name- hadn't lied. There had been no torture, no interrogation, no trying to break her by any means Hinata had been expecting. Instead, it was slow, patient, and methodical- like wind wearing away a mountain. At first, she'd kept track of the days. The sun gave her just enough light through the tiny window above her bed to be able to read the scratches on the wall she made with her headband- the only metal she'd been allowed to keep.

Sixty-seven days. Two and one quarters months. Nine weeks. And she was already mostly broken. _No wonders father thinks I'm weak. I'm already going crazy, and they haven't _done_ anything to me except keep me locked up!_

The meals were passable. For prison food, Hinata imagined, it was actually pretty good. Not anything like the cooks at the Hyuga Estate prepared on a daily basis, but about as good as Naruto's cooking- when he could be bothered. There was plenty of water, she only had to call for the guard to bring her some. When she did that, a single ANBU- or the Iwa equivalent- came down the hall with a stone pitcher and mug both filled with ice-cold, crystal-clear water. _Spring water. We're high up then. But that doesn't really matter. I'm going to go insane, if I'm not already. But I still deserve it. After what I did to Naruto and Sakura..._

The light from the window went out.

"Who's... who's there?" _I've never had a visitor... is there even a street out there?_

"Sweet, sweet little missy... I've come to visit you in your cage."

_Oh shit. Dokoru!_

"You know what'll happen if the Captain catches you here. You'd better leave, or I'll call the guard."

"My, my... little missy still doesn't want to see Dokoru. But, but... she will soon, yes. Soon, soon... Dokoru will be missy's only friend, and she'll have to trust him."

Just like it had vanished, the light returned.

* * *

"Great job, Kamisori," Naruto called. The boy had finally worked up the nerve to attack Aburame Tenchi in their sparring matches. The two had been 'dating', or as he and Sakura called it, 'playing grown-up', for three months. At first, there had been some tension from Inoko who had also taken a bit of a liking to the handsome boy, but the friendship between she and Tenchi had proved stronger.

"Naruto!"

The voice belonged to none other than Rock Lee, who was pounding across the field like his life depended on it. Which, judging by the crowd of women behind him, it may well have.

"What the- you three, get out of here!" Naruto yelled, and he turned to run as well.

"I am so sorry, Naruto! I don't know why they are chasing me, but- there are so many and I don't dare fight back!"

"Just _run_ Lee!"

Hours later, the two of them sat, panting, against the side of a large blue barn on the far outskirts of the village. "So..."

"I do not know. I was working with Li and Sakura on their Taijutsu, when suddenly that horrible mob of women came around the corner. One of them screamed "It's him! It's Lee!" and they suddenly started to surround us. Sakura-chan was actually pushed to the ground before she got away-"

"Is she-"

"Sorry, she is fine. I did not mean to worry you, Naruto-kun."

The blond closed his eyes in relief, letting his head slump against wooden panel behind him.

"She and Li were left alone, they appeared to only target me. Once I escaped, they chased me, and... well, ran into you."

"Ah, there you are, my two favorite pupils!" The newcomer's deep voice was one that made even Naruto cringe sometimes.

"Gai Sensei!" Lee barked out, jumping to his feet in a salute, "I'm sorry I was resting! I will resume my training immediately and do an extra thousand laps around the village as punishment!"

"No, no, Lee, that's all right. I think you've run your laps today. But tell me..." The older man flashed his infamous grin, "did any of those ladies catch your eye?"

Naruto's own eyes widened in comprehension, but Lee took quite a bit longer. "You... you sent them after him? _How_?" the blond asked.

Gai chuckled and relaxed from his own nice guy pose, "Simple. They heard me talking about what an outstanding shinobi Lee is, and they started to pine after him. Once they got a look at his rugged, handsome face... it was all over for them. By tomorrow there will be two thousand broken hearts in Konoha!"

Naruto's face moved slowly over to look at Lee, unable to believe what he'd just heard. But the middle Green Beast of Konoha was staring at his sempai/sensei in gratitude and adoration. "Gai sensei! You did all that... for me? Thank you, Gai sensei! It is the greatest gift ever!"

"Ha, don't mention it, Lee. If anyone deserves a good woman, it's you!" and just like that, the older man was gone.

"Do you think he means it, Naruto?" Lee asked, his expression ecstatic.

"I... I donno. He doesn't lie, does he? But I don't know how he got two thousand women to think you're a catch or something. Uh... no offense. You know you're awesome."

"Yes! You are right, Gai sensei wouldn't lie to me about love- that would break the bonds of Youth we share! Very well. I shall go see to those women like a man! I shall decide which of them is worthy of me, and we shall... go on a date!"

Lee didn't move for almost ten minutes.

"Lee..." Naruto asked after a while, "You don't know what to do, do you?"

"I... I don't have a clue!"

Naruto sighed, while his green-clad friend began to panic It was going to be a long afternoon.

* * *

Elsewhere in Konoha, Sakura had decided that enough was enough. She had already tried the Yamanaka's home, but there was no answer. So instead, she went to the family's flower shop, knowing that at least Ino's mother would be able to direct her to her daughter.

"Good afternoon, welcome to the Yama- a...ka... S... Sakura?"

_Ino..._

"Um... Hi, Ino."

The blond didn't reply.

"I, um... I came to..."

"We have a sale today on lilacs, and tomorrow we'll be having a sale on roses as well. So if you're thinking about getting some for that special someone and don't need them in a rush..."

This time, Sakura fell silent, but didn't step the rest of the way into the shop.

"Or, if you prefer, our dozen bouquets are thirty percent off the each price."

Sakura's voice was small when she asked, "Is that how it's going to be, Ino? Just business?"

The other woman looked at her for a moment, visibly forcing her hands down onto the counter between them. "Should it be another way?"

Still quietly, "I want it to be."

"You've had a funny way of showing it for the last while."

Sakura finally worked up the nerve to step the rest of the way into the shop, all the way up to the counter. "I... I know. I've been a real bitch, and I'm sorry. Finding out that way... that's what hurt. I really am glad you have a wonderful daughter. Really. And I don't mind that it was Sasuke... I never did, I swear."  
The blond humphed and folded her arms under her breasts, but said nothing.

"I promise, Ino! It's just... I'm so sorry for what he did to you. For what I did. I thought... we were better friends than that. And I think we were, until I let my own stupid problems get in the way."

Ino then turned and walked around the counter, maintaining a straight face, until she stood right in front of her old friend. With a resounding _whap_, Ino's hand met Sakura's face, causing it to whip around slightly. Before she'd even finished wincing, though, the other woman's arms were around her, and both women were crying.

"So... I guess I haven't told you the big news. If all goes well, I'm going to get Inoko a father. A good one, this time."

The sun was setting, and Naruto would be expecting to see Sakura soon, but she'd told him of her plan to set things right with her old friend. He was all for it, of course, and would understand if she was late. "No... I haven't heard anything. I gotta ask though... is this father for you, or for her?" Sakura asked, slyly.

To her eternal amusement, Ino's cheeks went a little pink and she had to look away to hide the small smile. "Bit of both, I guess. I mean, he's all right. But a good guy, you know? Someone who will take care of Inoko, help me raise her right. And take care of me in my old age."

When Ino brought her face around to look at her best friend again, Sakura's mouth was wide open. "Careful, billboard brow! Don't want to catch _too_ many bees. They're all over today!"

Sakura's mouth closed with a clack and she glanced around for the insects before realizing that Ino was joking. "Stupid pig! That was m- wait. You said old age. Holy crap, you _are_ serious! You haven't been serious about a guy in... well, _ever_!"

Growing pinker, she replied, "Nope. Honestly... you'll laugh your head off when you find out who. But you know almost as well as I do the kind of guy he is. And Naruto would approve, for what that's worth."

"So?"

"... So, what?" Ino asked.

"... are you going to tell me?"

Ino shrugged and leaned back against the counter. "Nope."

"What?! After all that, you aren't going to tell me?"

"'fraid not."

"But-"

"Sorry."

"Pig! Come on, that's not fair!"

Ino turned further around so Sakura had to stare at her back, "That's the way it is. You'll find out soon enough if you wait... he's coming in with Naruto in about ten minutes. He wanted to get you some flowers. Had some special night, or something. So... hide in the back, they're here!"

Before the door had finished opening, Sakura was in position in the cramped back room. Years before, the two had used this spot to spy on Asuma and Kurenai, along with the other Shinobi who bought flowers on a regular basis, but now the little nook would barely hold Sakura. _There's Naruto... that's so sweet of him. But who's he with? I can hear someone talking outside..._

"Oh, those are a great choice, Naruto. She'll love 'em! No, no- not those. The ones on your left. Sakura... really doesn't like pink flowers. Something about the way it clashes with her hair. I know, it's weird, but... ya, those. Those are her favorites."

Whatever Naruto said was too muffled by distance and the walls to make out, but Ino, being much closer, was quite clear.  
"Yeah. Wait, you want _nine_ dozen? I don't know if we have that many in stock... I'll have to check the back."

Sakura moved, but it was a very tight squeeze to get Ino's head in. She pretended to count, but in reality just cave Sakura a piercing look and whispered, "What, is he proposing or something? Are you even really dating, yet?" Then she pulled her head out before Sakura could answer.

_Propose? Uh... bit early, Naruto..._

"Yes, I like the smell too. Doesn't it also just... smell like Sakura? I think it's her shampoo. I could ask when I see her next, if you want."

"Oh, okay then. So... who's he talking to, out there?"

Once again, she didn't hear the reply, but her fingers were starting to twitch in anticipation.

"Yes, thanks Naruto. I'll set them up personally. The place hasn't changed, right?"

"Okay, yeah, it'll be ready by seven. Keep her busy until then, all right? And far away- I don't want her to know I'm in on it."

Ino gave a very light kick to the door, under the pretense of stretching. _Got it. Pretend I know nothing, you know nothing, blah blah. Same old. But... damn, what's he _doing_ this for? And who knew Naruto, of all people, would buy nine dozen of anyone's favorite flower for anything?_

The door opened again and Sakura's eye flew through the crack to the doorway, but it was filled with Naruto, and then the doorway itself.

"Don't worry," whispered Ino, "he'll be in in a sec. Just talking to one of his other friends. Said he has to go meet someone."

The doorbell chimed again, and Sakura almost jumped out of her hiding spot when she saw the unmistakable outfit.

Ino gave a little squeal of delight and hopped over the counter and into the mans' arms, kissing him passionately.

_Oh. Kami. Help. Me. Yamanaka Ino is going out with Rock Lee?!_

* * *

Sakura arrived at Naruto's apartment and five-thirty, her heart pounding. It took all of her chakra control to keep her cheeks and neck from turning as pink as her hair. She knocked, and it opened before she'd finished.

_Wow!_ "N- Naruto! You look... good!"

He blushed a little accompanied by a sheepish grimace, and said, "Ya... I kind of wanted tonight to be special. At least... if you want it to be. It just occurred to me about ten minutes ago that I hadn't actually _asked_ you, and I got really nervous. Do I seem kind of weird? I sure feel that way. Like, I'm hot one second and freezing the next, and-"

"Naruto."

Just like that, he was calm again. He turned even pinker and muttered, "Sorry. I really am nervous, I guess. I just... don't want anything to mess this up. So maybe I should just be quiet, huh? We all know my mouth..."

She stepped forward, pushing him back and closing the door behind her with a foot. Her lips met his, lightly at first and then with more force. She ran her tongue over the top, then the bottom, outside and then in. His arms were paralyzed at his sides when she let him go. "Yes... we do know your mouth. Pretty well, I think."

"So... yeah... now I lost my train of thought completely. Thanks, Sakura," he tried to joke, but neither laughed. Instead, she moved forward again, forcing him to take another step back.

"Naaarutoooo.... I hear a rumor about town. From one Yamanaka Ino. Someone bought someone else a wedding ring. Do you know anything else about it?"

Naruto gulped, his face terror-stricken. _Sakura hasn't looked that scary since before we brought down Akatsuki! Does... does she want me to propose already? We haven't even gone out on one official date!_

"N- no! Well... I hear Neji and Tenten are pretty close still. And... uh... Lee and Ino are... dating, I guess. But a wedding ring? I- I don't know anything about that!"

"Oh," she said, relaxing at once, "pity. She heard it was Shika buying one for Temari, but couldn't confirm it. I was just curious. But I also hear you had something important you wanted to ask me."

He relaxed, just a little, too, but the tension now was from nerves, not fear.

"Yeah... I was, uh... wondering if maybe you'd... like to go out with me. Tonight. On a... date. With me."

She thought about it for a moment. Looked him up and down. "Well... I do have to admit, this outfit is much less hard on the eyes than your usual. Though the cape is a bit much. Gray with red flames? Bit flashy, isn't it?"

He held it out for a second, and said quietly, "I guess it is. But... I kind of wanted to wear it tonight."

"I didn't even know you had clothes like this. Where have you been hiding it? Doesn't look new."

"I... wasn't. I don't own it, really. It... it belonged to my father."

It's possible that it was that shock, that Naruto now knew who his father was, that made her faint. It's possible, as well, that it was the realization of who that father was- seeing him standing there wearing his father's cloak so comfortably, bringing back memories of names and paintings she'd seen in history class- was what did it. But the reasons don't really matter.

What mattered, to Sakura, was that when she regained consciousness, he was there. Holding onto her, in fact, holding her up. _He caught me before I fell. Kami, I love him!_

"You okay, Sakura?"

She nodded weakly, unable to tear her eyes away. _I can't believe I didn't see it before. They could be twins. Naruto's... even more handsome, though. His mother's eyes... they make all the difference._

"I just... wow. It suddenly hit me, and I've already had an interesting afternoon. Sorry... you know I'm not prone to that."

He sat down on the couch, taking her with him, placing her on his lap. "So... does it change anything?"

She glanced out the corner of her eyes at him, but his expression was guarded. "Do you want it to?"

The reaction was almost violent. "No! I don't! I mean, yes, it matters to me... now I know who my parents were, of _course_ it matters. But that he was the Fourth? So what? If I become- no, _when_ I become Hokage, it'll be on my own merit, not because of my father. No... I just want to be me. I don't want to be "The son of the Fourth". I saw that from both Asuma and Konohamaru. Even Granny Tsunade. I'll... earn it on my own, thanks."

She smiled and kissed him lightly on the forehead, then brought hers to meet his. "Right answer. Yes, I'll go out with you tonight. You have one chance to impress me, Uzumaki. Don't screw it up!"

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

A few days' travel, even for a ninja, to the west, Hinata was having a less pleasant evening. The screams had started around sunset, mostly far off in the distance. But they were coming inexorably closer. Even with her Byakugan, she couldn't find the ones screaming, though. The stone walls had been shielded, and the window was too narrow and deep for her to see even a sliver of direct sky from anywhere in her cell. The guard hadn't come when she'd called, for the first time in her incarceration. But not only did the screams sound like they were coming closer, but it seemed that they were growing in number, as well. Knowing, somehow, that she didn't really have anything else to do, Hinata crawled under the bed and curled up into a ball just like she'd done as a young girl to hide from lightning. Soon, her prisoner's shirt and the cell floor were wet with her tears.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 8**

The noise was getting closer. Now, Hinata could feel very building and ground shake around her with it's approach. Whatever was coming was still heading almost straight toward her, and it was either very big, or there were a lot of them. The screaming had all but stopped, only every few minutes or so did someone else get caught up in the noise, scream wildly for a minute, and then cut off suddenly. The sound was getting closer at a steady rate- it never paused, never slowed or quickened in it's approach, not even when fresh screams began- or ended.

By now the kunoichi was on the verge of passing out, only her instinct for self-preservation still fighting against the urge.  
"There, there... I'm here, little missy..."

_So not the voice I wanted to hear!_

But in her panicked state, Hinata just couldn't bring herself to hold out for another rescuer. "Dokoru? What's- what's going on out there?"

"Psh, psh... that's nothing to worry your pretty head about. We, we... we're going to spend a little time together, missy, just you and me. Just, just... as soon as I get you out of there. You, you aren't going to fight me, are you, missy, because I'm setting you free. Right?"

She scrambled out from under the cot at once, pleading with him to get her out before the thing- whatever it was- reached her.

The thin ninja reached into one of his many pockets and pulled out a single piece of silver wire, threading it into the lock of her cell. In moments, she heard the click as Dokoru picked it and flung the door wide.

She rushed through the door and tried to get past him, but he snaked out an arm and caught her at the last second, saying, "Hey, hey... now don't fret, little missy, I won't let it get you. No, no... no need to run now that Dokoru's here."

He forced her head down into his shoulder and she began to struggle while he whispered something very quietly in her ear. It almost sounded, at first, like a jutsu, but the woman stopped struggling at once. She was almost calm again when she stepped away from him and said firmly, "Let's get out of here."

The two began a mad dash down the corridors and up six flights of stairs, Hinata's hand clasped firmly in the man's the whole while. Dokoru flung open one last door, revealing the night sky, the few clouds tinged orange with the raging fires she could just see behind the corners of the prison where she'd been kept.

"Wha- what's going on?" she asked, looking around as she skidded to a stop.

Pulling urgently on her arm still, the shinobi kept walking, albeit slower, as he said, "No, no... can't explain it now. Must, must... get out while we can!"

And so she ran again, her legs already aching from the long inactivity and sudden exercise, following him to the edge of the building. There was a line, thin but sturdy, already set up heading into a window the next street over. On the street below, Hinata could see hundreds of panicked people fleeing the noise that now, out in the open, sounded even more horrific.  
"Go, go missy! You have to cross quickly, before they see us!" She hesitated for a moment more, then hitched herself over the ledge and went hand-over-hand across the divide, the male ninja a few feet behind her.

* * *

"Wow, Naruto!" Sakura yelled. She had to, the noise up here was much louder than she'd expected. How she had never known that Konoha had it's own club of hot-air-balloonists, she couldn't say, but now that he'd finally convinced her to get on the thing and they'd taken off, piloted by none other than the president of the unofficial club, she couldn't believe she'd never done it before.

"You've never flown before, have you, Sakura?" He asked, his left arm snaking around her waist casually.

Her eyes wide and mouth gaping in a huge smile, Sakura shook her head, gazing down at the village and forest below them.

"So... impressed yet?" He said in a normal volume, and she had to strain to catch it.  
Sakura nodded fervently, turning her head to give his cheek a quick peck, and he pulled her in tighter.

"Naruto... I love it!"

For three hours they stayed aloft, the sun setting pasted the horizon and the lights of the city below coming on one or a dozen at a time until the entire area was lit by a hundred thousand stars.

* * *

Hinata landed as gracefully as she could, and was shocked to hear the voice of the still-unnamed Captain in the darkened room, "At last, lady Hyuga is free. Come, Dokoru, we don't have much time. The beast is almost here, we have to get her to safety before the Lord High Priest finds she's gone."

Her surprise turned to relief at once, accentuated with the big Kamagi's arrival a few seconds later. "Come, little missy, we need to go _now_ if we're going to escape."

And so the four ninja, one formerly of Konoha and the others from Iwa, fled the capitol of the Land of Stone, a mysterious, ravening beast on their tails.

* * *

"I can't believe this, Naruto... I expected to have fun, but this has got to be the most romantic date anyone in Konoha's ever had. You... wait... you aren't just doing this so you can get in my pants, are you?" Sakura suddenly glared, and his eyes widened again in fear.

"No, no, Sakura! You've got it all wrong, I swear! I just... I've been planning our first date, off and on, for... more than eighteen years, so of course it's good. Even I can come up with a good plan in that much time. That's all it was, I promise!"

She leaned into him again and whispered quietly, so that the whole restaurant wouldn't be able to hear for once, "Damn. I might have just let you after tonight."

She was very satisfied to see his face turn bright red, and moments later she glanced down to see that he was indeed as excited by the prospect as she was.

* * *

It was five days later when the group finally stopped running. They were exhausted, Hinata especially so, despite the fact that Kamagi had carried her almost a third of the distance. She wasn't used to the thinner air, at the very least, and had become out of shape due to her confinement.

"That, there. That hut up in the little saddle between the peaks. We'll have to spend a while there, maybe the winter, until things calm down back home."

Captain Danjiro, as he'd formally introduced himself just that morning, was a tall, handsome-looking man. Rugged, he sported a few day's growth on his chin, but the rest was clean shaven except the short-cropped hair. The only place he had hair longer than an inch was a nearly six-foot long topknot that ran almost to his ankles.

"Right, Captain," Kamagi said, his huge hand helping Hinata climb up some rocks to rejoin the trail after another of Dokoru's 'shortcuts' had left them wandering with no trail for four hours.

"The whole winter?" Hinata asked, quietly.

"Yeah... maybe. It depends. My family owns it, and it's kept stocked, so food won't be a problem. It's a bit small, might be some cabin fever, but it doesn't really snow that much when you're this high, so we can get out if we're careful of the cold air. Sorry, lady Hyuga, but it's the best I could come up with on such short notice."

"No, Danjiro, it's perfectly fine. Please... you don't need to call me lady. I'm just Hinata."

He beamed at her and she shyly returned the smile. Only Kamagi was able to see the glare that Dokoru shot towards his captain for the gesture, but the big man said nothing.

"So," Danjiro said a few hours later, "now that we're settled in, we need to make a real plan. That thing... whatever it was, it decimated the shinobi we sent against it. It looked to me like it was after you, lady- Hinata. I'm not sure why. Could Konohagakure have sent something like that after you?"

At once, Naruto came to mind. But Hinata pushed the image away, and said, "I used to think they might have, but now... I don't think so. Anyone that had both the power and motive would have forgotten about me now."

The big ninja scowled, and the smaller let out a low whistle. The captain grimaced, "So Konoha really does have a jinkuurichi. I'd hoped it was just a rumor. But that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that we have to keep you safe. All of us, really. So... I need you to share some information with us, if you can. I don't want to ask you to betray Konoha. Far from it, in fact, but...

Dokoru's attention let the conversation fade into the background, one thought alone occupying his mind. _Lady Hyuga Hinata. So, so... beautiful. Like summer flowers. Like... sunshine. Like no one else I've ever met. Damn them all for doing this to her. And damn me, too._

* * *

Two weeks later, Sakura and Naruto had yet to go on another date, and she was getting a little antsy about it. So worked up, in fact, that Tsunade had to practically kick her out of the Hokage's office to get the younger woman to leave her alone so she could get some _work_ done. "But shishio, Naruto still has-"

"Sakura! Shut _up_ already!"

To everyone present's surprise, the outburst hadn't come from Tsunade, but rather her normally quiet, senior apprentice, Shizune.

"I'm... I'm sorry Sakura!" the woman said, pink climbing up her neck.

Sakura's face fell from frustration to shame and asked the room at large, "I'm pretty pathetic, aren't I? Twenty-two, and acting like a twelve year old... I'm sorry. I know you all have important work to do. I'll... just go occupy myself until Naruto gets around to it again."

But no sooner had she been spotted leaving the building than the important discussions about the future of Konohagakure, which she'd interrupted with her problem, began in earnest.

The Lord of Fire, alone of those present, seemed to hold any reservations on the subject. But as it was a ninja matter, the sole decision was, in the end Tsunade's. And her mind had been made up long ago.

* * *

"Hey, Naruto," Shikamaru called from across the street, seeing the ever-present orange pants underneath the curtain of Ichiraku's. He strolled over casually to join his friend at the bar, greeted Ayame warmly, and ordered a bowl for himself.

"Hey, Shika. How's things?" Naruto asked, his mouth still full of pork.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and wiped a droplet of broth off his nose before answering, "Fine. Temari's dead set on 'formalizing the peace treaty between Fire and Wind' as soon as possible. Damned woman, so much work. And the old lady's still trying to get me to actually do Jonin missions, like I want that. Working as an ambassador is hard enough, plus subbing at the Academy? Yeah, right, I want to do missions."

Naruto grinned, going back to his ramen. It was a long-standing agreement between the friends that while Shikamaru might complain as much as all of them, including Naruto, put together, he wouldn't trade his life for anything.  
"So how's it going with you and Sakura? I heard your first date went pretty well, but I haven't heard anything else since."

Naruto's face fell, and Ayame took that as her queue to 'run to the back for a bit', leaving the two alone in relative peace. "'s all right. Great, in fact. But... I kind of got a weird impression. Like... the whole time, she was thinking about someone else."

"Sasuke?"

_This is why I keep him around,_ Naruto thought, _he just _gets it_ without needing every detail explained. Usually, anyway._ "I don't know. Maybe. But someone. Or something, maybe. The problem is... the whole time, I tried to stay focused on her... but... don't tell her I said anything about this, right? Not a soul?"

Shikamaru gave him that look that said quite clearly 'you know your secrets are safe with me', and Naruto nodded before continuing, "I tried to stay with Sakura... and mostly I did. But every once in a while, Hinata would pop into my head. I really miss her, still. I feel terrible that Tsunade had to declare her a rogue. Lord Hiashi is actually talking about disowning her, and even Neji's really beaten up about it, though he won't admit it."

Shikamaru sighed and finished his ramen waiting for the other to finish, but he said nothing else. The black-haired man sighed then and said, "That's the problem with you and women, Naruto. You can't always assume it's always your fault- even if it _is_. Sometimes they just mope. Maybe you got her at a bad time. Maybe she really was thinking about something else. She's a ninja, she has a lot on her mind all the time. Just... trust her. She loves you, any fool can see it."

"Did you? See it before, I mean. Before she told me?"

The genius gave him another look, this one meaning, 'of course I did. Who do you think I am, you?' but said nothing.

It was the blond's turn to sigh this time, reaching over the counter to fill another bowl of ramen. "If she really is thinking about someone else though, what should I do?"

He'd known this question was coming from the start, and Shikamaru already had his reply set before Naruto asked the question. "What would you do if she was? What do you think she would do if she found out you were thinking about Hinata, even a little, while on a date with her?"

"I donno... break up with her, I guess. That's pretty heartless."

The other man nodded slowly and got off the stool to stand with his usual slouch, dropping some money on the counter, "Yeah... that's what I'd do, too. Funny thing about those Hyuga. They don't miss much."

Shikamaru smiled to himself as he walked out of the ramen stand. He could practically see the pieces falling into place in Naruto's brain. _He's not the idiot we always took him for as kids, but that man is so easy to manipulate that even _I_ don't think it's too much work!_

* * *

It was another three days before Naruto had both the desire and time to ask Sakura out again, but this time both were a little more subdued. Instead of the expensive date, that he'd later confided had taken nearly half his savings to finance, the two had a casual evening picnic atop the stone carving of his father's head. The humor of the situation wasn't lost on either of them, and the majority of the conversation was filled with thoughts of what he would think if he saw it, or what the other Hokage would if they were eating on _their_ heads.

"No, shishio would just laugh- and _then_ she'd beat our heads in!" Sakura said through her laughter, waving for Naruto to calm down before he rolled off the edge.

Minutes later, he'd finally regained control of himself and wiped the tears from his eyes. As the two began packing their dinner back up in the basket they'd brought it in, Naruto broke the silence with a question Sakura really didn't want to hear asked.

"Sakura... do you ever think about Hinata at all?"

_Think about her? Of course I do. She was your first... second... whatever. One of your old flames. I think about her all the time, especially now that she's gone. I miss her... she was my friend too, you know. I know you miss her, and I'm always wondering how I stack up next to her in your eyes. If you love me as much. You say you do, you act like you do, but I can never be entirely sure. So yes, I'd say I think about her 'at all' quite a bit._

"Sometimes. Why, what's up?"

She watched him surreptitiously while finishing the cleanup. He was motionless, watching her, she knew, but also thinking about exactly how much he wanted to say. "I... kami, I don't know if I dare say this."

She sighed and finished the packing, but he still hadn't moved. She took the last parcel from him and put it in the basket then turned to face him dead on. "Naruto... just say it. It's not like you to hesitate."

He gulped and started to fidget, but eventually choked out, "I want to go after her. I miss her... I wouldn't break up with you- not unless you wanted me to- but she doesn't deserve to be disowned, or thrown out of the village, or... whatever else."

"You still love her."

He nodded, and Sakura almost turned away. Almost.

"But you love me too, don't you."

He nodded again, and that was enough for her.

"All right... tomorrow we'll go talk to the old lady and see what we can do. For now... I want to go back to your place. Our date can't end on a sad note. Let's grab a movie or something, kay?"

He smiled sheepishly and reached down for the basket, and Sakura took that moment to wipe a single tear away before he could see it. The hand she put in his was firm, though, and he didn't notice anything._ Damn it... I'm going to lose you so soon. She had years with you, how come I can't even have one? That's it... tonight. It has to be tonight. I don't know if I can keep going without... us. I'm sorry, Naruto, I'm sorry Hinata. I can't do it anymore. If he's not mine... I just don't know what I'll do._

The blond wasn't surprised by her choice. He'd always pegged her for the romantic comedy type, and to be honest, he kind of was himself. In fact, the movie that she'd chosen had been one of the first the two had watched together as friends. He was bound to enjoy it, for the memories if nothing else, but to Sakura it had one more additional purpose... he wouldn't mind if he missed the last half... or two thirds. Or three quarters, if she worked up the guts quickly enough.

As she'd expected, he was partially engrossed, but still paid her plenty of attention. She was sitting reclined diagonally across his couch, he laying on his back next to her with his head on her lap. She'd made him lay like that so she could play with his hair and ears, something she'd learned he liked a little too much for comfort through very careful observation. _Just there... the tiniest thread of chakra that he'll never detect and... boom! Voila! Instant arousal. So easy..._

She spared a quick glance to his groin to see that it had, indeed, worked, but when she returned her attention to the man on her lap, she was surprised to see him looking up at her. His expression was hungry, but also amused.  
"You didn't have to bother, Sakura. I was planning on it anyway... as soon as I worked up the nerve."

She blushed furiously. "How'd you... did you feel it?"

He grinned just a little and reached up a hand to pull her head down for an awkward (for her at least) kiss. "Feel- oh, the Chakra? Kind of. Just a tickle, really. But I can smell you- fox _does_ have his uses. I can't smell as good as Kiba, but better than anyone else in the village outside of his family. And, well... your signs are almost as obvious as mine."

He gave a significant glance toward her chest and she turned redder still. "You... pervert! Is that why you didn't argue when I told you to sit like that? So you could... _smell me_ and check me out from below?"

He grinned and nodded, totally unashamed.  
"Well... that's it. You're in trouble now, I guess. Time for your punishment, Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Tch, you don't scare me," he said, and she laughed with him at the obvious lie.

"So... how are you going to punish me?" he asked after a minute of deafening silence.

She ignored his question completely, but breathed out, "Naruto- make love to me."

(Lemon starts here)

Without another word, he sat up and got off the couch to kneel before her, his big, calloused hands on her bare knees. His eyes asked the only question she wanted him to, and she nodded, just once. _No more waiting. Finally... I love you, Naruto._

He gently spread her legs apart and knee-stepped forward to kiss her again. Long, passionate, and this time, distinctly erotic, when he pulled away, the woman of his affection was panting in short, quick breaths, and not just for need of oxygen. His hands fell from her cheeks, running down the sides of her neck to her shoulders, down her arms and back up the inside. He didn't hesitate, didn't even look away from her eyes as they continued inward and down, brushing past the outside of each breast and down to her waist, then further still to run along the top of each thigh, kneeling back on his heels now, continuing to her feet.

He struggled for a bit there with each sandal, but she watched him patiently, taking the chance to catch her breath and finish preparing herself mentally for the next hour... or, knowing Naruto's stamina, night. _Or nights..._

When each piece of footwear was off, he resumed the profile examination of her legs, this time from the inside, moving up, past her knees, around her thighs this time, digging under her to grab her pert buttocks. "Not here. Bed, okay?" he asked quietly, and she nodded.

And then she gave a little scream as he hoisted her, hands on her butt, over his shoulder. She laughed all the way into his room, but he enjoyed his hands playing across each glute the entire way.

When he put her down gently, she moved to take off her dress, but he stopped her at once. "Not yet. I want to... I want to save it, and I want to do it. Okay?"  
Smiling again, she leaned back on her elbows and let him go back to work.

First, he scooted her closer to the edge of the bed and resumed his position between her legs. This time, his hands weren't quite as shy. The started on her flat stomach and moved immediately along the light, pink fabric of the sun dress to cup each breast from underneath. She was delighted to watch his breath catch as he moved a hand over each, and gently knead both. Her nipples already hardened in anticipation, she felt the first real flush of pleasure as well when his palms hit the nubs.

Then suddenly he was over her, and she could feel his manhood pressing against her leg, feel every pulse of it as he kissed her hard, deeply. As he pulled away, he took her lower lip with him, caught gently between his teeth. He held it for only a second and let her go.

"Your eyes are glazed. That good, huh?" He asked, knowing full well that it was. She nodded woodenly.

Now he reached behind her, pulling her half upright again with one hand, the other fumbling for a second at the zipper, then pulling it down slowly. When it reached the small of her back, she stood up to give him easier access, but he was done with it anyway. Instead, he reached each hand behind her and slipped them inside the dress, searching every inch of her back, running along the scars, and kneading the knots as he pressed himself into her.

Eventually, the dress, agitated by Naruto's roaming hands, fell to the floor and he finally gave her another moment to catch her breath.

"Kami, Sakura... you're more beautiful than I ever imagined. And I imagined quite a lot."

She flushed yet again, not just from being naked in front of a man for the first time since she was a teenager, and he smiled to see it start between her smallish, but well-shaped breasts and creep quickly upwards.

"You don't have to be ashamed. You really are beautiful."

She shook her head slowly and murmured, "I'm not ashamed. I'm happy. I love you, Naruto. I think I always will. No... I _know_ I always will."

He tried to gently push her back to the bed, but in Sakura's humble opinion, it was time she took charge- if only for a little while. She pushed back, and her strength won out. She took the time now to undress him, to feel each and every muscle of his frame, inch by inch, as she went. It seemed like only seconds, but may have been an hour, before she finally finished and Naruto was revealed to her as well. She'd studiously avoided looking too closely at 'him', but now she just couldn't help herself- and it was time, anyway, because his package was the only part of him she hadn't yet touched. Now that she got a good look, she couldn't seem to draw her attention away.

A little pink in the face again, Naruto bashfully said, "Come on, Sakura... you're a medic. Not the first time you've seen one, right?"

She giggled and shook her head, "No, Naruto... I've seen 'em before. But not like that. Another gift from the fox?"

His eyebrow twitched and he muttered, "I donno. Is it that unusual?"

Her eyebrows raised this time, incredulous. "Naruto... you don't shower with other men, do you? Like, after missions?"  
"No... should I?"

"Well... I don't mean to be raunchy or anything... but Ino would talk about you for months. It's... pretty impressive."

"Really?" he asked, genuinely surprised.

"It's... gonna hurt a lot."

Surprised flashed into worry. "You don't... you aren't... I mean... you're so gorgeous, and nice, and... a ninja. You haven't-"

She laughed this time and answered, "No, no, Naruto... I 'broke' when I was a little girl. But I'm still a... I've never done this before. But you're _big_. It's just gonna take some time to get used to the size, that's all. But from what I've heard, that's better anyway."

He breathed a sigh of relief, and Sakura sat back down on the bed, pulling him toward her. She reached one small hand out to wrap around him and he gasped in shock. _Her hands are cold! But... kami, that feels so good..._

She was hardly moving, instead just flexing a little to finish warming him up and watching his reactions. _I hope I'm not hurting him. It's hard to tell if that's pleasure or pain. Maybe both._

"Saku... Sakura, stop."

She let go at once, and she stammered, "I'm- I'm sorry,. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

He grinned and pushed her back, claiming her mouth yet again, "No, love. I just don't want to finish too early. You have no idea how great that felt... so I need to have a break and let you relax a bit too. You got it? Just lay still... unless you want to squirm." The mischievous glint in his eye took her by surprise again. _Just like Jiraiya used to do... well... he _did_ study with him for years. I bet Naruto knows all sorts of tricks. This may not even be his first time... maybe even with Hinata. _Her will faltered for just a moment, but as soon as his hot lips enfolded a nipple, she forgot about the other woman completely.

He worked it with his tongue as well, swirling around it and flicking it, the thumb of his hand mimicking the movement on the other. He switched after an eternity of bliss, then trailed kisses down to her navel, each hand still working her breasts slowly.

"That good, lover?" he asked, his voice husky, and she groaned in reply. His tongue darted into her belly button once, twice, swirled around it, and then moved lower still. _Oh _Kami_ he's so good at that!_

His hands finally left her breasts, where they were replaced quickly with her own. She didn't do much to herself at first, but Naruto watched her anyway for a moment, mesmerized by the sight, before looking down to the spot between her legs. "You shaved. Damn... I wanted to see what color you are."

She giggled, blushing yet again, but said afterwards, "I'll give you a hint. Pink is my natural hair color."

He grinned widely, and slid both of his big hands up her thighs to stop on the tendons on either side of her sex.

"Don't stop, Naruto... please?" She hadn't even meant to ask, but he was driving her crazy already, and she didn't think she could handle him waiting any longer. She wanted to feel him touch her _now_.

But she didn't have long to wait. With tenderness she'd never have expected from him, one hand caressed the folds of her mons with his palm, then moved to her already-swollen labia. She gasped when he spread her open as far as the folds would stretch, but not far enough to hurt.

Expecting him to say something again, she looked down at him to find him absolutely rapt. His eyes were wide, breathing heavy, and it looked like he would never look away- but his hands had not stopped moving, and soon she didn't care if he ever did stop.

"Looks like the pervy sage was good for something after all," he quipped a few minutes later as the first real orgasm of her life subsided.

"Don't say that... I know you miss him a lot." The somber words didn't detract from the mood, but he did nod once before moving his head down the rest of the way to her crotch. The first lick along the outside folds made her twitch, the second and third outside her labia made her squirm, and the fourth, starting at the sensitive nub of her clitoris and running straight down to the bottom of her vagina made her gasp out his name. She could already feel another one building. He looked up at her, grinning, and repeated the movement, and she gasped again. "Kami, Naruto... slower! That almost feels _too_ good!"

"Sorry," he said, utterly unapologetically, and resumed with his tongue, occasionally pulling parts of her folds out with his teeth or lips, kissing and licking her alternatively.

The woman was totally taken by surprise when he slipped one finger inside and twisted it around, then followed it quickly with another. He didn't work either for very long, but curled each to focus on the top of her wall, coaxing another shaking orgasm from her. When he pulled his hands out, he stared at the glistening, sticky fluid on his fingers for a moment before sticking each finger in his mouth and sucking on each one.

It was too late for Sakura to ask to taste it herself... something she'd always wondered about but never had the nerve to try herself. But he seemed to enjoy the flavor, even relish it, because he soon moved a finger down to her crotch again to catch some more of the leaky fluid and returned it to his mouth.

"Sakura..." he said, his voice hoarse, "Are you... ready? I don't think I can wait any more."

She nodded and said, "Naruto... I was ready when we got home. Just... go slow at first, okay? Give me some time to adjust."

She could not have been prepared for how hot his member was as it pressed against her, nor how badly it hurt to have him stretch her so. She'd already came twice, and should have been ready, but... _ow. Next time, I'm gonna make him work on at least three fingers first..._

But true to his word as always, he did go slow. It took him over a minute to finish sliding in, and by that time most of Sakura was aching for him to start moving. In less time that she'd expected, the pain had been replaced by a sense of _fullness_ she could not have described before this moment. She was just about to tell him he could move when he tilted his head down and kissed aways tears she hadn't known she'd cried, whispering all the while, "Sorry, love... too fast."

"It was fine... just new. It feels... incredible. Move... move, Naruto."

He hesitated for another second, but when she bucked her hips against him in an effort to resume the exquisite pleasure, he got the hint and started his own motion.

He was tender, slow, and compassionate, and much longer lasting than she'd have expected. Sakura had experienced another powerful orgasm and was working on a fourth when his breathing reached new heights and he started to shake.

"Yes, that's it, Naruto... don't pull out. I want you all inside me..." and waves of joy so powerful they bordered on agony began to rise in her as well.

"Sakura... I'm almost..."

"Please, Naruto, I want to... I want to have this with you! Come inside me, _please Naruto!_" and as she screamed out his name, she was lost.

At that same moment, Naruto lost it as well, and he collapsed upon her, unable to support his weight. Like any male over the age of eighteen, he'd... experimented. He could remember his first orgasm like it was yesterday- and most of them since. But nothing had prepared him for this.

(End lemon)

* * *

Far, far to the west, Hinata found herself coming to actually enjoy the company of her captors-turned-rescuers, especially the charming Captain. While he was no Naruto, the woman began to feel the slightest glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, she could be satisfied- if not happy- with someone else.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 9**

The ravening beast stopped it's destruction for a moment to check again for the target of it's hunt. That target was now far away, or else hidden from it's powerful senses. There was no trail to follow, because his quarry was an experienced ninja, and wouldn't leave a trace unless she wanted to. It growled, a feral sound the creature hadn't unleashed in a long time. _She's out of reach. I should lay low for now and come at her with some subtlety next time_.

And just like that, it was gone, taking every single trace of it's own identity with it. What was left was only the long path of corpses, from one border of the Land of Stone almost to the other.

* * *

"Hey, Naruto," Ino greeted him when they crossed paths as the local market.

"Morning, Ino. How's it going with you and Lee?"

She smiled and answered, "Damn good, actually. I can't believe I was such a shallow bitch to him all those years when we were kids... and you too. Both of you deserved better."

The man pinked up just a little and rubbed the back of his head, "Nah... I know why it happened like it did. And I'm good with it. There are some good things that happened because of it, too."

"So..." Ino said a little uncomfortably, "How's my girl doing? Giving you any trouble? Or is it you giving her a hard time?"

He chuckled and replied, "Nah. She takes after you personality-wise, but Sasuke in skill. Uh... No offense," he added, and she waved off the unintended insult.

"No, that's actually why I asked for you to be his sensei. Now that Kakashi is... gone... you're the one most familiar with his talents and skills, so..."

"Ah. Got it."

"And... what about you and Billboard-brow?"

He looked sideways at her for a moment, starting to move toward the fruit stands, "Sakura? Pretty good. She's not real happy with me, and I totally know why, but we're working it out. This stuff's actually for the make-up dinner I'm cooking for her."

The blond woman gave him a sly grin and said, "That's not what she said. She actually said the two of you had a _reeeeaaaally _good time last night. So... spill."

One of his eyebrows twitched. "If you think I'm telling the town's biggest gossip _anything_ about my sex life, you've got- Oh, _damn_!"

"I _knew it_!" Ino crowed, and she punched Naruto in the shoulder.

"So... tell me, lover boy... did you like it?"

His mouth clapped shut and he shot her a furious glare.

"Ah, don't be like that. No one's around, and this time, I won't tell a word, I swear. She _is_ my best friend. I'm just curious... Sasuke never gave me much indication if he did or didn't, so..."

Understanding dawned across his face, and he forced himself to mutter, "Yeah, I liked it. Did... did Sakura say anything to you about whether or not she..."

"Can't say it yet, huh? Don't worry... I've got a feeling in a little while you'll be just as pervy as your two sensei were... But no, she didn't say anything to me. At least, not that I'm at liberty to say!" she answered, the last in a singsong voice as she skipped hurriedly away.

"Ino! That's not fair!"

* * *

"Why did you rescue me, Danjiro-san?"

The man looked up from his book in surprise. "We... we were ordered to. The Lord High Priest wanted you interrogated at once, but... the Iwakage ordered us to keep you away from that demon that attacked the village. So we brought you here."

"I... see." Hinata said, and after a moment, turned her attention back to her own book.

After a few pages, though, he murmured something else.

"What was that, Danjiro-san?"

"I... uh... nothing. I'm sorry to bother you."

_Is he blushing? But why would he..._

The two sat there staring at each other for a long time, the color of the man's face growing steadily redder. At last, he said, "I... had personal reasons for keeping you safe as well. I... couldn't bear to see you in danger. I'm sorry."

Hinata was taken aback. "Sorry? For what?"

He shook his head, but didn't answer.

"For being... a gentleman? For saying something like that? For... thinking I'm attractive?"

"... yes."

There was another minute of silence interrupted only by the steady wind outside the small cabin.

"Danjiro-san... Not very long ago I was in a relationship with the man I wanted to spend my life with. The man I wanted to bear children for. That hasn't changed... all that has changed is that I revealed myself to be a fool. Do you understand?"

He had the decency to admit he didn't.

"I loved him. I always will. I can't... I can't love anyone else."

He said something else too quietly for her to hear, but before she could ask what he'd said, he repeated himself, "My grandmother used to tell me that there is no such thing as one love for one person. If that was the case, how could couples love only each other when they love their children, too? How could families have love at all?"

Hinata shook her head slightly and said, "It's not the same thing."

This time he shook his own, a slight grimace on his lips, and replied, "But it is. I have a love of my own. A wife, in fact. Two children, and I adore them all. And yet... I find myself compelled to spend time with you. To talk to you. I ache when I am away... even if it's just to go help with the foraging before the snow comes. What would you call that?"

His admission didn't really come as a shock to Hinata, because she'd secretly used the Byakugan on all three of them several times over the weeks the four had been at the cabin. His affection, such as it was, was real, but there was something else as well, something she couldn't quite put a finger on. It was that which intrigued her so, made him such a fascinating man that she wanted to spend time with him as well.

"I would call that... infatuation, at this point. Love requires time, growth, and usually, pain. That is something I have been learning my entire life."

He gave a rueful smile and nodded, looking down now at his book, "You are correct about that. I just... find myself unable to lie to you. So I'll say this just once and never bring it up again, if that's your desire."

She didn't answer at once, she waited until he looked up and into her Byakugan-enhanced eyes.

"I... I want to be with you like a man and a woman are. I feel... the same for you as I do for my wife, as crazy as that sounds. If the idea repulses you, I will say no more. But... you are beautiful, you are special, and I am... entranced. I find myself your willing slave."

He turned a deep shade of crimson, but did not look away.

"I am significantly younger than you are, Danjiro-san."

He gave a sad chuckle, "That's a nice way of saying I'm too old for you. I understand."

"No... that is not what I said. I just said that I am younger. I am not as... experienced, I would say, in the ways of love. It is possible that I may grow to love another person. I couldn't say for certain right now. But... at this time, I don't feel like it is even... remotely possible."

He nodded gravely and finally looked back down at his book before muttering just loud enough for her to hear, "I won't give up hope, then. I pray that one day you will feel for me as I do for you."

* * *

The knock on the Hokage's door came right on time. "Come in, Naruto," the old woman called, and he came in the door at once.  
"There's a whole bunch of carriages and carts outside, Granny Tsunade. What's the big f... u...ss..." he trailed off when he saw the people lined up to either side of the path between the doorway and the Hokage's desk.

"Uh, sorry to bother you. You're busy, so I'll check back later."

He was out the door and it was shut before Tsunade called him back in.

"Uh... aren't you...?"

"They're here to see you as much as me, Naruto," she said calmly, gesturing for him to sit in the chair closest to the desk.

After he'd done so, she began to explain, "Uzumaki Naruto, I believe you may have already met some of these people. Today you're going to be introduced to the rest. Don't disappoint me, all right?"

"Um... sure, Lady Hokage, but..."

She stood before he could finish, gesturing to the tall, gray-haired and regal looking man standing at Naruto's right hand. "This is Hoshi Gakayen, the Lord of Fire. To your other side is Kugarame Hideiko, the Lord of the Land of Wind."

She continued to introduce important personages, including every major lord in the Land of Fire, and many powerful land owners and influential merchants.

"Now, Naruto, I need to ask you some questions. Don't worry, I have the feeling you will be fine. These gentlemen and ladies need to see your reactions. Is that all right with you?"

"I don't really get it, Lady Hokage, but if it's an order, then I will be fine, I guess."

She gave him a faint, reassuring smile and replied softly, "It's not an order- just a request from a friend." And then in a firmer voice, "If you received an order from the Lord of Fire to kill one of his family members who was plotting an assassination of his own, what would you do?"

Naruto thought for a moment and replied, "I'd probably try to get to the bottom of what was really going on, if I could... or maybe see if I could capture instead of kill. I don't much like taking lives unless I have to. But if it came down to it... I would do it."

"Good."

The young man tried to get a glimpse of what the men were doing, to see if they were watching, or had any signs of judgment on their faces, but Tsunade snapped her fingers and drew his attention right back to her.

"Second, if you were given intel that an attack was incoming toward the village, large enough to cause serious damage, and your team was on an extremely important mission and couldn't deviate, what would you do?"

"Heh, you already know that one... I've done it twice."

She smiled benignly and said again firmly, "Answer."

_This is really freaking me out... are they trying to see if I've gotten control of the Kyuubi or something? Why are all these important people here? But if they think I could lose control... why are they all here in the first place?_

"I... well, I'd dispatch a teammate- the fastest or least essential to the mission- back to the village, or send a message through other reliable and quick methods... both to see if they want us to come back, and to find out what's going on ourselves."

"And if you received no return order, and your teammate didn't return?"

"Well... that's a little tougher. If we were close to finishing the mission, I'd do it as soon as possible and make double time back. Or triple, maybe. Just not enough to exhaust the team in case we needed to fight. If we weren't... I'd go back. Even the most important mission isn't worth the lives we might be able to save by going back."

"I see," she said, her expression carefully neutral, "But what if your mission could prevent a major war?"

_He's starting to get nervous... good. But don't worry too much, Naruto-kun... my decision is already made. This is just to appease the masses._

"I think... I'd do my best to weigh the two against each other. Wherever we could do the most good."

"And you think you're capable of making that kind of decision? The kind that can change millions of lives?"

He was sweating visibly now, and squirming slightly in his seat, and only just barely resisting the urge to look at the men and women watching him. "I... no. No one person can do that. But we have to do what we can, right? I mean, we can all only do our best," and warming up now, he spoke with more self-assurance, "that's all anyone can expect from anyone else- or themselves. If I was in that situation... I'd make the choice I made, and do my best not to regret it if it turned out to be the wrong one."

She smiled fully now, and said, "Good... last question. How long has it been since the Kyuubi slipped- even the slightest- from your control?"

He was a little startled by the question, even though he'd originally thought that was why she was asking these questions. "Uh... I'd have to think about it... maybe... eight years? It was that one time when I was fighting Orochimaru near the Bridge of Heaven and Earth. Once I realized I'd hurt Sakura... I never lost control again. In fact... give me a second, would ya?"

She nodded politely, and watched him close his eyes.

When he opened them again seconds later, they came wide open with a flash. "He's... he's not in his cage!"

* * *

In a small cabin near the highest peaks in the Land of Stone, a ninja watched a Kunoichi sleep. In fact, two of them did, their other companion asleep himself on the other side of the room. But these two shinobi were each unaware of the other's attention. After the moon began to creep downwards at last, one of the two moved away to scratch out a short message on a piece of paper hidden in the folds of his customary uniform, and folded it into an origami crane, which promptly took flight into the night sky.

_So, you're making your move at last, are you?_ The other ninja had been waiting, almost eagerly, for this moment... but wouldn't act on it just yet. He had plans to put into place first. Friends to betray, a woman to take... both quite enjoyable ways to pass the time until his true master called for him again.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 10**

"What do you mean, Naruto? His... his cage is empty? He's escaped? But... how? Let me see the seal!" While she was speaking so rapidly, the first murmurs of panic began to sweep the gathered nobles.

"Lady Hokage... if this whole thing has been an elaborate ruse to lure us here and let the Kyuubi attack us all..."

"Quiet!" she said, ripping Naruto's shirt upward so hard it ripped, and slapping her hand against his abdomen. In the space of a second, the seal began to glow bright red, then blue, and then black, where it stayed until beginning to fade slowly after she removed her hand.  
"No... both seals still strong. The Demon Fox is still inside you. I'm not quite sure what's happening. Can you check again for me, please, Naruto?"

She leaned back to sit on the edge of her desk, a hand on her bosom to help calm her breathing. The nobles had fallen silent, but shared looks of concern, dismay, and fear.

When the young man opened his eyes again, they were wider than before, but with less fear. "He's... in there still. Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. He was just... not what I was expecting."

The nobles made no other sound, but Tsunade asked forcefully, "What do you mean?"

He scratched the back of his head for a moment, eyes half-shut as he tried to find the words, "He's... well, usually when I go to see him, he's in this huge cage with a seal charm on the doors. It's _strong_. And he's massive... and so evil you can feel it oozing out of him. This time... the cage was there, and the seal too... but instead of those horrible, giant eyes there was... a fox. A normal-sized fox. But he was still scary! Just a lot smaller!"  
The old woman smiled weakly and returned, feigning calm, to her chair. "There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. His replies to the questions you all agreed on, and some of the best news we've had since I became Hokage."

"I'm not sure I understand," one of the merchant lords said.

"It's very simple. The seal the Fourth designed for his son was one of the most intricate ever created. Unlike the normal seal that is used to create a jinkuurichi, this particular seal is... different in almost every way. They can still communicate, and the host can borrow power. But since the Demon Fox is so strong, and it was sealed inside a baby without a fully-formed Chakra network, it was created so that the beast's Chakra would be fully controlled, and leak out only the tiniest bits of it's own Chakra. However, there's more to it. The original seal was also designed to fade after time, but fade slowly, so that as it's host became mature, he would have access to more and more of the Fox's Chakra, an effect reinforced by the less powerful but no less intricate seal placed eight years before on Naruto by Master Jiraiya."

Those with little to no knowledge of what made shinobi work were already lost, but a few, like the Lord of Fire and Naruto, were steadily growing more amazed.

"Yes... that's what happened, and is still happening, I think. Naruto himself has said he hasn't communicated much with the Fox since then, more or less, so it's no surprise that he hasn't noticed before now. But now that he's an adult in his prime, his chakra network is fully grown, he has begun to fully integrate the Fox's chakra into his own... and since it is a being made up of almost entirely chakra, it is... shrinking, quite literally, as it's power disappears into Naruto."

The Fire Lord was the first to recover enough to speak, "So... this means that the Demon Fox is no longer a danger to us? It has become... well, a non-issue?"

Tsunade nodded, "It seems so. Naruto... have you felt any difference?"

He shook his head. "Nope. But then, mind you... since we finished off Akatsuki, I've never had to even come close to emptying myself of Chakra, either. Gamabunta was just a drop in the bucket by then, so..."

She nodded, "Yes, your reserves were always the highest in the village, even without the Fox helping you. One of your father's traits, though yours is many orders of magnitude beyond even his because of the Kyuubi."

The conversation continued until after the sun had set, until each of the lords had had a chance to speak to Naruto directly, most of them asking a few questions of their own, either about himself or his history with the Demon Fox. Eventually, however, they had all taken their leave until only Tsunade and Naruto were left in the room.

"So... do you want to tell me why you summoned me, Granny Tsunade? You said you had some news?"

She smiled and looked wistfully out the window before answering, "You love this village, don't you? It's in almost everything you do."

"Uh... of course I do. It's my home. Why, what's up?"  
She didn't turn back to him, but answered, "I'm... dying, Naruto. I've got maybe three years left, tops, before my seal can't sustain me any more. I used it too much when I was younger, and even that fight with Orochimaru where... well, when we met. That almost killed me, and I've used it three times since then."

There were tears running unashamedly down his face when she turned to look at him.

"Oh, Naruto... don't cry for me. I've led a good life, and it's been thousands of times better since I met you."

"I... I'm not crying for you. I don't want you to die. That's all. I'll... miss you _so much_!"

As quickly as she could, she crossed back around her desk to kneel before him, pulling him into a huge hug, "Silly boy... I'll miss you too. But I'll get to see Dan and Nawaki, and that old lech again. So... I can't be too sad, even though I'll be leaving you, Shizune, and Sakura behind."

He sniffled and buried his face in her hair while she continued to speak, "Besides... you have others to help you with the pain. Hinata, Sakura, Shikamaru, and all your other friends. And you're so strong even on your own. That's one of the reasons... why I've made my decision."

He didn't ask for a long time exactly what she meant, but when he did, she took her time answering as well, "Starting next week your only missions for the next year will be training your team and working as my desk-apprentice."

"But... desk apprentice? Why, you know I hate paperwork..."

She squeezed him even tighter, but only said, "Because... you have to learn to do it. You are going to be the Sixth Hokage, dummy."

* * *

Sakura didn't know why Naruto never actually joined her that evening, but she didn't mind terribly. She knew Tsunade had called for him and that it was important, and it was enough. But a part of the woman, a large part, if she was honest with herself, was glad for the break. They'd been spending a lot of time together, practically all of their non-working time, and it was hard to adjust. _Not that I mind. I love spending time with him. But I miss my other friends, and I miss being alone, too. I should have known he'd be the clingy type, though,_ she thought wistfully.

_But still... there's some down sides to this, too. Now that the others have all gone home, I'm stuck alone, thinking of Naruto by myself. And thinking of _her_, too. I wish... I wish we could have stayed friends. I hate what we did to her... what all three of us did to... all three of us, really. I miss her so much, sometimes. And I know he does, too._

With a sigh, Sakura got up off her couch to check her fridge for ice cream, but there was none to be had. _Figures. Guess I'll go over to Naruto's... even if he's not there. He always has junk food._

When the kunoichi stepped lightly through his perpetually-unlocked front door, she was surprised to see a strange man in the apartment. _But no... that's not a man._ Wary, she drew the only weapon she carried around the village nowadays, a single small Kunai, and advanced into the living room. As soon as the door shut, the paper construct began to speak.

"Message: Operative Alpha-Delta-Seven-One to Kaze Knight. Message as follows: Target at location 44,3321.0 by 434,32.991. Plans: Remain at or near location for foreseeable future. Advise haste, enemy moving quickly. Relay message pattern: Kaze Knight to Ho Knight Junior. Additional Message for Ho Knight Junior as follows: I have found her. I will retrieve your woman for you, Junior. Now I only owe you seven thousand more." And then, without another word, the paper began to crumple upon itself until it was just a tiny scrap, and then burst into flames.

_Shit. What the hell did that mean?_

When Sakura burst into the Hokage's office, she was surprised to see the old woman still there, but more surprised to see her asleep with her head on Naruto's lap. He was awake, his eyes crusted with salt, but he still smiled when he saw her. "Sakura-chan. Sorry I didn't make it... I'll explain why tomorrow, okay?" His voice trembled, but the woman couldn't afford to let him be weak right now. "Naruto... do you know who the Kaze Knight is? Or the Ho Knight?"

He looked surprised to hear her say it, but said, "Of course. I'm the Ho Knight... one of 'em, anyway. Gaara is the Kaze Knight."

Her knees trembled and she sank to the floor in front of her master and lover. "Gaara... he knows where Hinata is. He said he was bringing her back for you, and he only owes you... owes..." and then she was crying, her face in her hands.

Tsunade grumbled a little when Naruto slid out from under her as gently as possible to clutch his girlfriend close to him and murmur, "I'm not leaving you, Sakura. You don't need to cry... I'm not ever going to leave you."

She sniffled a bit more, but worked out, "I'm not sad... I'm happy. I'm so relieved that she can come back... I've felt terrible for so long about how this all worked out... and I miss her."  
"I know, love. I do too. But we will see her again. It won't be too long now. And hey... I have some news that might cheer you up."

* * *

That morning, all three of them woke almost simultaneously when Shizune came into the room to wake Tsunade up from her desk with coffee and pastries. She was more than a little surprised to see her master on the couch instead, and the other two curled up below her on the floor.

"Morning, Shizune," Tsunade said, wiping her eyes groggily, "You can take the day off. Naruto's gonna... hey, what are you doing here so early?" she asked, giving an already-sharp glance at the two still sitting on the floor.

He mumbled, "Didn't leave... didn't want to wake you up," and for once, the old woman blushed herself.

"So... the Rokudaime, huh?" Shizune asked for the fifth time a few hours later, "It couldn't have been a better person, Naruto. I'm happy for you, and proud too."

"Thanks, big sister," he said, meaning every word. And at that, she lost a little of her famous composure, too.

The morning's training went as well as could be expected, with the three women- even Sakura now familiar with the day-to-day running of the village- helping the clueless man out. Fortunately, as much as he detested the boredom, Naruto was nothing if not a quick study. It wasn't even lunchtime when he was able to make decisions on his own and not worry too much about the consequences. The paperwork itself, while there were massive piles of it, was deceptively simple. Approve funding here, cut it there, permission for this mission training, deny that, request for more weaponry to be shipped to the village stores, and so on. But while that part was easy, the sheer volume of orders that needed to go out daily staggered the young man and made his head spin.

"That's it, Naruto," Tsunade said an hour after they'd returned to work after their hasty lunch break, "Congratulations. You've finished your first day as acting Hokage, and you already got the day's paperwork done... Shizune has to do half of mine every day."

He slumped back in the chair and griped, "You know, I'm okay with the title... but how 'bout we start delegating some of this stuff? Isn't that what leadership is all about?"

Tsunade laughed and answered, "Why do you think I leave it for Shizune? She just passes it on, anyway, so I don't even have to do that!"

The medic looked terribly hurt, and Tsunade relented after she saw it, "Oh, come on Shizune. You know I'm just kidding... you only pass on about half of it."

While the two old friends bickered at length, Naruto and Sakura shared a glance, both of them wanting some much-needed alone time. The two had almost reached the door when it burst open to reveal Kamisori and Tenchi, panting and holding each other's hands tightly. The two spared a quick bow for their sensei and his girlfriend, then rushed to the Hokage's desk.

"Lady Hokage!" the boy said, a note of urgency in his voice, "we have a request!"

"What is it?" she asked, motioning for Naruto to wait.

"We... that is... I wanted... we wanted to ask you..." he stammered, but was saved by his girlfriend.

"Lady Hokage, we wanted to ask your permission to get married. Our families will say no unless we have your permission, so-" the pretty young girl fell silent as Tsunade raised her hand.

"I'm sorry, but it's my day off. You'll have to take up this matter with your acting Hokage. He's right behind you."

Naruto glared daggers at both Tsunade and Shizune as they calmly (outwardly at least) walked past him and shut the door. Both he and Sakura cringed to hear the two laughing together from down the hall.

"Uhm... Naruto... I think you'd better say something," Sakura whispered, giving him a little nudge back towards the two teens.

"Uh... yeah... what was it you two wanted, again?"

This time, it was the Aburame girl who spoke first. "Sen- I mean, Acting Hokage-sama! The two of us are requesting permission for us- Hatake Kamisori and I- to marry! Please, sir!"

The 'Acting Hokage's' face got even paler and he slumped down into the chair closest to the door, his hand still gripping Sakura's tightly.

"I... there's no way, you two. I'm sorry... you're just too young."

"But sensei!" Kamisori said loudly, but Naruto spoke louder.

"Absolutely not! You are ninja, yes, but you are still _children_. You are not ready, no matter how ready you think you are!"

"But Hanabi-san is engaged already, and-"

Naruto's eyes rolled. "The business of the Hyuga Clan is, first of all, none of yours. And secondly, Hanabi was engaged when she was _six_. So that doesn't really count. It was a political thing. You two want to marry out of... whatever. And you just aren't ready. Besides, Hanabi's not getting married for at least four more years- and she'll be nineteen by then."

The two teens looked mutinous, and their hands trembled together, but they said nothing.  
Naruto wiped his eyes and gave Sakura's hand a little squeeze before releasing it and standing slowly. He approached the two cautiously while they glared at him, but all Sakura could see in his eyes was compassion.

"Look... I really am sorry. I swear, I know exactly what it's like to be young and in love. I'm not that much older than you, and... I remember it all. But just trust me on this, okay? No matter how much you love each other now, you will both regret it if you get married. So I have to say no. If you hate me forever, so be it. That's my cross to bear. But I won't be responsible for you two ruining your lives. All right?"

Neither nodded, or spoke, but at least they didn't attack him either, and Naruto took that as a good sign. "Listen... I'm kind of beat from all the paperwork. You two can take the day off, plan my assassination or whatever. Just don't go elope, and that's an order. You both need to report to training field one at eight am tomorrow morning- and still single. I'll go let Inoko know."

The two stormed out of the office then, and a few seconds after the door slammed, Naruto felt Sakura's slender arms wrap around him. "That was good, Naruto. You handled it better than I could have."

"Then why do I feel like such a jerk?" he mused, but leaned back into her just a little. "Come on, better go find Inoko. We were supposed to meet an hour ago... and if those two are here, she probably already knows somethings going on. She's got a thing for Kamisori, too."

Sakura chuckled, "Really? What is it about the silver-haired ones? Kakashi was really popular with the ladies, too."

Naruto finally laughed and they two left the office as well.

"So did you have a crush on Kakashi-sensei too?" Naruto asked a while later.

"Of course I did. He was so mysterious... always wearing that mask. Tall, handsome, if a little scruffy, and so skilled... yeah. I had a crush... but it was nothing compared to Sasuke, and that was nothing compared to you. So you don't have to be jealous."

The blond laughed again and pushed her playfully, and she responded in kind. "But if you want to talk about crushes on sensei... I heard that Kiba actually asked Kurenai-sensei out once. He was crushed when she said no..."

Naruto now had difficulty walking.

"But that's not the best one. This one... you have to promise not to say anything. It's... about Ino."

His eyes widened and he shut up at once, eager to hear gossip- about the town gossip.  
"She had a _huge_ crush on Asuma-sensei. For years. But then, when she found out he was with Kurenai... she cried for hours and hours. I was the only one she'd talk to, and she didn't talk to Kurenai-sensei, or any of her team, for almost a year afterwards, even on missions."

"Really? Wow! I never would have thought Ino would go for older guys. She always seemed the young-and-vigorous type to me. Like... well, Lee."

They continued talking about the blond kunoichi's past relationships until they arrived at her house, after having already checked for Inoko at the training fields, the Academy, Ichiraku's, (where they had stopped for a few bowls and one bowl), and almost every other teen hangout in the area.

But their conversation fell silent when they heard what was going on inside the small home.

"-not fair! Why can't he just love me instead?! Am I just not pretty enough?"

Over the screaming girls' voice, the two could just hear Ino's, loudly but still mostly calm, "You are gorgeous, Inoko, he's just a fool not to see it. But you can't control him, either."

The younger didn't seem to even be listening, because her rant continued unabated, "Maybe I should just quit being a ninja and run the flower shop! Then you and grandma can have more help, and I won't have to see that stupid-"

"-not fair to any of you, hon. Just take a while to be away for a bit, and-

"Or maybe I should just go out with everyone else like you do, it seems to work for y-"

This time, the girl did actually stop, her screaming interrupted by what sounded like an extremely painful slap to the face.

"Room. Do not speak. Do not leave. When I can see you without hitting you again, we will talk. You will think about what you said. _Go_."

It was almost ten minutes before Sakura worked up the nerve to knock. The door was opened just after the first tap, and Ino was standing there, in full tears. She gestured the two in without a word and sat on the couch, looking absolutely miserable.  
"I'm... a horrible mother. I've never hit her before, but when she said that, I just couldn't help myself. I should be arrested."

"You... you knew we knew?" Naruto asked, and she nodded. "I heard you talking about me right before she started yelling... seems to be a popular topic, nowadays. The whole towns' talking about how I go from one guy to the next... and now I've stooped so low for my fix that I went to Lee. Bastards don't know anything."

Sakura moved to sit next to her friend and took her hand in one, putting the other over her shoulder and pulling her close. Naruto sat on the love seat opposite the two. "Do... do you want me to talk to her?" he asked, but Ino shook her head. "No... she has my temper. She'd just throw things at you until you hit her or left."

"Do you know why she's so mad?" Sakura asked, and Ino nodded.

"Yeah... part of it is hormones. Puberty and all."

"_Shut up, mother!"_ was heard from upstairs, but Ino didn't stop at all.

"Some of it is... Tenchi and Kamisori. And the rest is Lee. She doesn't think he's good enough for me, or something. But he's more than I deserve."

The girl was suddenly storming down the stairs, but none of the adults was watching her as she stood in the doorway, yelling, "You don't know what you're talking about! Don't think you understand me just 'cause you gave birth to me! I'm _not you_, mother!"

Naruto caught just the faintest shimmer of red in the girl's eyes, and he stood to distract the women away from the teen for a moment. _It's not really early... but I'm so not ready for this, too._

"This is an order from your sensei. You will be _quiet_ until those of us that have some _authority_ in this house allow you to speak. Then you will get your turn. Until then... you apologize to your mother, _right now._"

The girls' mouth worked for a moment, then she belted at the top of your lungs, "You aren't my father! You can't even pretend like Lee! You can't control m-"

Suddenly she was silent. A single hand-sign from Naruto and the girl made no sound whatsoever, even as she continued to scream and rail at him.

"Sorry about that, Ino," he said, blushing slightly, "not trying to overstep my bounds. I just think she needs to hear some things. Do you mind if I continue?"

Sakura could only stare in wonder. _Where did this come from? I know he can take charge, but... he's actually acting like a real father. And a sensei._

Naruto turned back to the girl when her mother gave a faint nod, her own eyes wide with shock, and he said, his voice deadly calm, "You will be still and _listen_ for a moment. Your mother will say what she wants, then Sakura if she wishes, and then I will say something to you. Then you may speak. If you do not choose to be still, I will _make_ you listen. Don't push me, girl. I've seen things that would scare you right out of your mind."

All the fight fled from the girl at once. She slumped to the floor leaning against the door jamb, her eyes on Naruto as he slowly walked back to the love seat. He gestured for Ino to begin, but she took a while before doing so.

"Inoko... darling. You know I love you. I thought I loved your father, but he was a horrible, cruel man who was bent only on one thing- revenge- for almost his entire life. The only good thing that ever came out of my relationship with him was you. And you are the best thing in my life.

"The other men... yes, I've slept with a few of them. So what? I'm an adult, and... before Lee, there was precious little in my life besides you that I could take some pleasure in. Is it such a hard thing to accept, to understand? It's half of what you want from Kamisori, anyway. So you should have at least a little understanding of what I went through.

"And as for Lee... I would... go crazier than I am now if he decided to leave me. I _love_ him, Inoko. I really do. I want to marry him, I want him to help me finish raising you. I want... kami, someday I pray you'll call him Dad. Maybe we'll even have kids of our own- but we wouldn't push you aside. I love you too much."

The teen's eyes were welling with tears, but her mouth was still clenched in a thin line. Sakura, glancing at Ino, said quietly, "I've been your mom's best friend for as long as I can remember, sweetie. She was never happier than the day you were born, I can promise you that. But this time with Lee, she's even happier- because she has both of you. Would you want to take that away from her?"

The girl still didn't move, but her eyes clenched shut and didn't relax.

Naruto looked at each of the women for a moment before turning his attention back to the girl and releasing her to move again. She didn't.

"Inoko... In lots of ways I know you the least out of the adults here. And I definitely know the least about relationships. But... there's some things I do know. Do you know why I sealed your voice?"

She shook her head, almost violently, and glared at him.

He spoke again, his voice soft, "It's because if there's one thing I do know, it's that if you're talking... you aren't listening. Your mother was doing her best to help you when we got here, and you weren't even letting her. And it was worse after we got here, and for that I'm sorry. But none of us want you to hurt. I swear it, as the future Hokage. You are... are- are the daughter of my first, best friend and my girlfriend's best friend. You are one of the citizens of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, that I have already taken three oaths to protect, and will take another in the near future. It kills me to have to _make_ you do something you should to because you love your mother. Do you understand what I mean?"

She gave the slightest nod, but didn't unclench her eyes.

"Good... I'm not going to ask you to apologize to me, because I don't need it. I know you understand, and that's all I want. I will apologize again to you, though," he said, standing and moving over to kneel at her side. He helped her up with one arm under hers and then resumed his position in front of her, bowing his head down to the floor, and said, "I'm sorry, Yamanaka Inoko, for causing you pain," and didn't move until she murmured her acceptance.

No one said anything for a long while, and no one would meet anyone else's gaze, either.

It was Ino who finally broke the silence, "I'm so sorry, Inoko dear. If only I was a better mother, I-"  
"Stop it mom," the teen cried, rushing to her mother and embracing her, "you're the _best_ mom I could have. I'm the one who's a horrible, snotty brat. I'm... I'm so sorry!"

The girls, all three of them, cried for a little while, and Naruto still avoided meeting any of their eyes.

After a time, the teen excused herself and went back up to her room to finish crying out her pain, and the adults resumed their conversation in much quieter tones.  
"Sorry you two had to see that... but thank you, so much, for the help. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come by."

"It was nothing," Sakura said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder, "we're glad to help, right, Naru- Naruto! What's wrong with your eyes?"

He blinked, surprised, and then turned a deep scarlet. "Sorry... I forgot about that side effect. It's nothing, just the Sage Technique. My meld isn't perfect yet, so I still take on some toady side-effects when I use it. It'll fade in a few minutes."

"You... used a Sage Technique just to calm down my daughter?" Ino asked, amazed.

He nodded, "Yeah... I don't know a jutsu to silence people, but you can do a lot of things with Sage chakra- if you think around the box. I just... coated her vocal cords with some frog oil. She'll probably just digest it, and never even notice."

This time, it was Sakura who was most shocked. "You... that was brilliant, Naruto!"

He grinned sheepishly, and tried to change the subject, "Hey, so... we actually just came by to tell Inoko to take the rest of the day off. Tomorrow we're meeting at eight in field one, if she's up to it. If she's not... we'll practice without her until she's ready. I can't have my team be at less than their best. They're going to be the next Three Legendary Sannin, after all!" he grinned, and Ino's mouth fell open.

"It... it finally happened? Your crazy dream? You're... going to be the Rokudaime?"

He nodded, but Ino looked over at Sakura for confirmation, unable to believe it, until she nodded too.

"Well," Sakura said, smiling, "that saves us the trouble of telling all our friends, Naruto. By tomorrow the whole village will know."

* * *

"... yes, I'll help you with your goals, Danjiro-san," Hinata said, moving to take off the headband she still wore. "I can't go back to Konoha any more, so I may as well make your new Land of Stone my home."

Once it was done, she pulled a Kunai from her pouch and scratched the deep gouge across the Leaf symbol that was traditional for a shinobi who has renounced his or her vows of fealty.

"I'm so glad to hear it, Hinata," the captain said, and he moved close to begin to explain the details of his plan. A few minutes later he placed a hand on her thigh, and she tensed just a little, but didn't ask him to remove it.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 11**

That night, Hinata had a series of rather strange dreams. In the first, she saw Naruto and Sakura, entwined in each others arms, both covered in a sheen of sweat. They weren't even in a bed, instead they were pressed up against the walls of Naruto's kitchen. She tried to look away, to shift the dream, but could not. She was forced to watch from the vantage point of her favorite chair at his table as the two copulated furiously, and then the scene shifted. Now, she was in her own bedroom of the Hyuga estate, and the two were there again, this time making love to each other gently, passionately, on _her bed_. Her vantage point this time was the chair at her vanity.

After she watched Naruto bring the other woman to a shaking, shuddering orgasm, and spill his seed inside of her, the dream's vantage point tilted downwards to reveal two legs, her own, and two hands, again her own, one apparently working a breast and the other with two fingers buried deep inside her own glistening, soaking sex.

_What the..._

The next dream she could remember, was herself riding Naruto wildly, him bucking beneath her legs into her, hard, while Sakura watched from the doorway, her hands under her own clothes. The scene shifted again, and it was all three of them in Sakura's apartment this time, the two women trading Naruto's manhood between their mouths until he groaned and covered both their faces in hot, sticky semen.

The last dream wasn't as unusual, in that it didn't involve people she'd sworn to never think of again. Instead, Danjiro was between her legs, looking at her with a loving, caring expression that never quite reached his eyes. But his thrusts felt good, and she found herself moaning in pleasure with each strong push.

Her eyes opened to darkness, and for a moment, as it did every time she woke in the dark now, she had a moment of panic, thinking she was still in her cell. But no... there was starlight out the windows.

Kamagi was out on patrol, her keen eyes could still discern Danjiro sleeping in his bedroll a few feet away, and Dokoru slumped in the chair across the cabin. With a sigh of relief, she sank back into her own bedroll only to notice that there was a spot about two feet wide around her hips that was sopping wet.

_And I tingle so..._ without stopping to think about it, she slowly fed one hand down under the bottom of her pajamas and caressed herself lightly. She'd not done this often, only a few times to help relieve the stress after she and Naruto had come too close to breaking their vow to wait until marriage, but she had some familiarity with the process- and how nice it was. _And after those dreams, I could use a little release._

Thinking of them caused them to pop back into her mind as fresh as if they were still happening, and excitement once again gripped her loins. _Why does it affect me like this? Watching Naruto with her... and her watching me._ As she finished bringing herself off, she failed to notice either pair of eyes, narrowed to the tiniest slits, watching her in the darkness.

After she was finished with her self-pleasure, she curled up into her bedroll again with a contented smiled, uncaring that the wet spot was even bigger now.

When she woke up a few minutes later, it was to see Danjiro half leaning over her, but still in his own bedroll. "Sorry to wake you," he said in a soft whisper, "I just... was thinking about you. You're driving me crazy. You are so beautiful... and I want you so badly. Please, tell me you want me too."

She looked at him a moment, the slightest doubt creeping into her. _This is... a strange coincidence._

"I'm sorry, Danjiro-san... I do find you attractive, but I am not ready. Please, go back to bed. I'm sorry."

He nodded sadly and turned away, then left a few minutes later to go outside. _He's probably going to do the same thing I just did. If I was a guy I'd probably do it all the time._

"Little missy," an extremely faint whisper from across the cabin said, and she jerked, then realized it was Dokoru.

"Those dreams... he caused them. He isn't safe. Don't trust him. He wants to use you."

She nodded, "Thank you, Dokoru. I appreciate your honesty. But maybe I want to use him, too?"

The slight man didn't react at all, but she could still see, now that she looked, the sliver of light glinting off his eyes.

_Creepy. He just watched me... maybe he didn't notice._

But to Hinata, it seemed that even her own complaints about the man watching her masturbate had less conviction behind it than she would have expected.

* * *

That morning, all four of the shinobi at the cabin were truly asleep when the messenger hawk began to peck at the one glass window. Hinata rose first and made her way over Kamagi's snoring form to the door, but had to push hard to open it, clearing a patch of snow at least two feet deep as it went. The bird came over to the door at once, willing to put up with proximity to strange humans to get out of the cold mountain air for a bit.  
The message wasn't tied very securely, just securely enough, so Hinata had no trouble retrieving it even with her almost-numb fingers. The inside of the cabin was cold as well, so she returned to her bedroll, leaving the bird to it's own devices.

Hinata reached over to put the small scroll, most likely coded beyond her ability- or desire- to crack at Danjiro's head and closed her eyes, trying once more to rid her mind of last night's lascivious dreams.

Hours later, when the Captain woke, he acted as if nothing had transpired during the night, and she took her queue from him. Instead, the four discussed emergency plans if they should have to leave the cabin, emergency routes down the mountain to the nearest village, and more importantly, their plans to gain control of the Land of Stone for their master, the Tsuchikage.

"We know the Lord High Priest is a false man, who does not serve the gods. It's final. The Tsuchikage is our lord and master, so no matter what happens, we will do as he directs. The coup should be relatively bloodless, our plans are nearly perfect. So... we will move in the dead of winter, when armies cannot be raised." The captain was relaying the contents of the message to the others. "Lord Tsuchikage has selected the four of us- yes, four, Hinata, to be one of seven strike teams. Our mission will be to enter the Royal Temple, remove the charlatan on the altar-throne, and get out. The other teams will be working to consolidate control under our Lord."

The three nodded, Hinata a little nervously. _I've still never had to kill... in cold blood._

"I have to ask, one more time, Hinata-chan," Danjiro said quietly, "are you still with us? This is not your fight unless you wish it to be."

She hesitated only a moment, then nodded firmly.

"It is decided, then. In two weeks, we move out. We will go slowly, posing as simple travelers. Hinata will play my young wife, Kamagi my simple younger brother, and Dokoru a hired bodyguard- he'll be the only one openly armed, and that lightly. We want you to appear as a scruffy, down on his luck mercenary. You should have no problems with that," he finished, giving the man a significant look.

* * *

It was officially announced that Naruto would be the next Hokage a week later, and his friends held an impromptu party in his honor. For most of them, it would be one of the most memorable occasions of their lives. For Aburame Shino, it was something else entirely. He'd had a bad feeling all day long, and as happy as the man was for his overly-energetic friend, as soon as he'd heard the announcement, his stomach had clenched.

"Tenchi-chan," he murmured a few hours later after he'd found his cousin at the party.

"H...hai, Shino senpai?" The girl looked around for her boyfriend to take what support she could, but for once, Kamisori was nowhere to be seen. _Why is cousin Shino talking to me? We barely know each other...?_

"How much of the perimeter can you cover with your kikaichuu? At a range of two hundred meters?"

"Ah... maybe four hundred meters? I don't have as many as you, senpai-"

"That's fine," he said, "Cover the south. I'll fill in the rest. Keep a close watch, and stay by me so you can alert me quickly."

She looked confused and was starting to get worried, as well, "Senpai... what's going on? Isn't this supposed to be a party?"

He nodded solemnly, "Yes. Have fun- but keep a watch out as well. I have a bad feeling."

The stoic Aburame had no difficulties staying focused on his job, but his younger cousin was easily distracted when Hatake Kamisori eventually tracked her down again. However, later when Shino questioned her, the girl told him that her net hadn't faltered at all. He nodded, giving her a look that plainly said, "Don't let it."

His eyes quickly scanned the ball room yet again, hidden by his glasses. No one of his friends or teammates would suspect that something was going on just from him being a wallflower, and he was glad they had at least a little more time to enjoy themselves before... whatever was coming.

"Sakura, come on! It's just a kiss, you don't mind, do you?" Ino asked slyly. The woman had been trying to wheedle her friend into trading kisses from their boyfriends for an hour now, and even Naruto had finally grown bored with it.

"For the last time, Ino, _no_. I've got nothing against Lee, and you know that, but you aren't kissing Naruto, and I'm not kissing Lee. That's the end of it, so just drop it!"

The blond pouted so severely that Sakura had to laugh.

"Billboard-brow... always has to ruin my fun. Well, whatever. Lee's plenty good enough for me."

Naruto threw a blanket over her as Ino flounced across the circle of friends. It was late, now, and most of the teens had long since left for home, the older ninja as well. Only the 'rookies' were left amid the wreckage of what had, quickly, turned from a fun celebratory gathering into one of the wildest parties Konoha had ever seen- thanks to Ino.

The woman flopped down next to her boyfriend and leaned into him, still feigning anger, making those present laugh again.

"Sakura," Naruto said quietly while climbing under the blanket with her, "any idea why Shino's over there by himself? Kiba's here, so I don't think it's just because of Hinata."

She glanced over at him and replied just as quietly, "He's been standing there the whole night. He looks tense... is there something going on with him, do you think?"

He shrugged, "I donno. Haven't heard anything. Should I go ask?"

She thought about it a moment and shook her head. "No... not yet. Since you so kindly covered us up, I want to try a little experiment first... Don't give it away."

He turned to look at her quizzically, but froze when her hand slid down his shirt to the zipper of his pants and undid it slowly.

"Sakura..."

"I said don't give it away. Just pretend you're paying attention to the conversation."

She began to slide her hand up and down his already-hardened shaft, and his breathing shifted at once.

Kiba spared the two a look, but made no other sign that he thought something was wrong. It was hard for the kunoichi to maintain her composure knowing she was doing this to him with all their friends _right there_, but she couldn't help herself... she wanted to get him off with nothing but her hands like he'd done for her weeks ago. It was only fair, right?

After a few minutes, Naruto started to twitch. He was having a hard time maintaining his self-control, with Sakura's cool, smooth hand playing up and down him. Finally, he gave a spasmodic twitch, which he tried- half decently- to cover up as a violent sneeze, and Sakura felt his hot seed splash over her hand. She tried to hide her faint smile as Naruto's face turned bright red.

_Oh shit. Kiba's... gonna smell that._

But the dog-lover said nothing.

It was thre in the morning when the others finally decided to break off and go home. Sakura and Naruto wound their way, half-drunkenly, to her apartment where she had to fiddle with the keys for a minute before finding the right hole. "Sakura," Naruto said as soon as the door had shut, "Why'd you do that? Kiba _knows_. And Shino might, too. If Neji was watching, he probably does.

_Shit. Didn't think about those two..._ "It doesn't matter. They know about us, and if they know a little more... what's the big deal? I love you, and I just wanted to show it."

He grinned wickedly and pinned her to the wall of her entryway, "You hypocrite. All those years you yelled at me for being a pervert- when ninety-nine percent of the time it really _was_ just an accident- and you're a bigger pervert than I am."

She smiled as well, grinding her hips against him, "It's true... I had to find some kind of cover, right?"

It didn't take the two long to find her bedroom after that, and it wasn't the first time Sakura had to simultaneously curse and bless Naruto's stamina.

* * *

"Target acquired. The Lord High Priest is in his bath, but there is a complication," Kamagi said over their short-range radio sets.

"Complication?" Danjiro asked, and glanced over at Hinata. The two had decided that they would be the actual ones to carry out the mission, and Kamagi and Dokoru would act as scouts and lookouts.

The woman beside him nodded, making sure her ex-Leaf headband was secure around her neck, and said, "I can see two others with him. Female, one young... about my age, and one a little older."

The man gave a low whistle, "Those eyes of yours are really something. Have I mentioned how glad I am that you decided to help us?"

Hinata gave a small smile, but gasped when he grabbed her chin and turned her face to his. He kissed her, firmly, but with no small amount of passion, and it wasn't long before she found herself returning it, whether she wanted to or not. _Damn those dreams!_

"No," she said at last, pushing him away, "It's not the time. We have a job to do."

He nodded, looking repentant, but said nothing else on the matter. "Right... Dokoru, we're leaving in your direction. Kamagi, best get out now while you can. Three.... two... one... go!"

Their timing was perfect. The two shinobi stepped through the hidden door their scouting had discovered into the steam room of the Lord High Priest's estate to come in behind the large bath.

_It's big enough for fifty people. Why does one man need this?_

Hinata moved left and Danjiro right around the edge, until they could see the shining, bald head of the country's ruler, joined by two women, all three in the bath. Both of the females were giggling almost constantly, and the older man was laughing slowly as well. _At least... they're distracted,_ Hinata thought, the color of her cheeks rising.

Without a sound, she moved through the steam until she stood on the edge of the bath. Danjiro was nowhere to be seen. _Did he get lost in the steam? Whatever... I'm here, and I have a mission to perform._

She didn't hesitate this time, her mind made up and her heart already hardened. The Kunai she grasped was razor-sharp, and it met almost no resistance as it slid into the man's corpulent neck. His spinal column sliced in half, the man could do no more than give a faint gasp as he slid into the water, blood already running into it freely.

Hinata stepped back into the mist before the two women had realized exactly what was happening, and both began to scream.

At once, thundering feet combined with the noise of several large fans filled the air. Hinata's eyes widened to see Danjiro standing by a switch, a look of horror on his face as the steam cleared from the room quickly.

"Guards! There! She's murdered the Lord High Priest!"

Her anger appeared and vanished at once. _Dokoru told me... damn it, I should have listened!_

The guards were at every exit, most of them Shinobi, and the woman knew she was doomed. The two women were scrambling out of the bath now, both covered in bloody water, and running toward the dressing rooms. The guards let them go without question.

"It seems betrayal only brings betrayal. So be it," Hinata said, her voice firm, as she took her Juken stance. The mass of guards advanced as one, but that didn't matter. She may not have been the prodigy that her cousin was, but Hinata had long-since mastered the defensive spin of her family.

In the end, though, there were simply too many. Her Chakra depleted, seven more guards moved in and took her into custody, her hands and feet bound, each finger as well. She was carried, none to gently, into a small, dark room in the lower quarters of the temple-palace, and locked inside.

_In the darkness again..._

* * *

"Sakura, Naruto... Lady Tsunade has requested that all available ninja meet her in the great room of the Hokage Tower. Immediately- something's happened," Shino said early the next morning. The two were only half-dressed, but both so tired they couldn't bring themselves to care. The fact that the bug-user didn't seem surprised to meet both of them at her apartment never occurred to either.

"We'll... be right there. Do we have time to shower?"

The man nodded, and was gone in a flash.

When the pair had reached the grand room, where their party had been held last night, they were surprised to see it already cleaned up, and filled with a swarm of people, nearly every shinobi they'd ever met in their lives at Konoha.

Tsunade was standing on a podium, arguing quietly with the village elders, and for once, the Lord of Fire seemed to be on her side. The two pushed themselves through the crowd until they were right below the podium, but the meeting didn't get started for at least another half hour.

"Men and women of Konohagakure. What we fear most has come upon us. Last night, the Land of Wind declared war on our mutual enemy, the Land of Stone. The report is that Iwa has captured the Kazekage. They requested our aid, of course, and I have agreed. Lord Hoshi agrees with me. As of now, we are also at war with Iwa. Now, the older ninjas," she said, now speaking over the rumble of thousands of voices, "will remember with fear our last war with Iwagakure. But I tell you, we _won_ that war. And we will win this one. Last time, we fought alone. This time we fight with Suna at our side."

A voice from the back of the crowd spoke up loudly, "But last time we had the Sandaime, Master Jiraiya, and the Yellow Flash to help us! Now we have... half of that strength!"

Tsunade nodded and answered, still addressing them all, "In a way, yes. We have lost many of our greatest since then. But we still have the great families, the Hyuga, the Aburame, Inazuka, and Nara. Out of the two generations since then, new heroes have, and will, emerge. Uzumaki Naruto, for instance," she said, giving the young man an apologetic look, "is a true hero to this village, and most of you know it. But I say this now, for those who have not yet learned... Konoha's Yellow Flash is _here_, in his son. As for Jiraiya? I am here, am I not? And there is another Sage as well, because Naruto completed his training before he was brought back to fight against the Akatsuki. This war... I cannot promise it will not be devastating. I cannot promise we will not pay dearly. But our allies are in need, and we will stand with them, because that is what we do. It is the Will of Fire, and it burns strong in each of us!"

Her fist pumped into the air, joined almost reflexively by each and every shinobi.

* * *

"They will wait a little while to attack," Shikamaru was explaining to the War Council a few hours later, "because they'll want to see what we have arrayed against them. Maybe four, five days tops. They will move against Suna immediately, though, so I'd suggest we send a team or five down there to back them up. But it probably won't be needed, Suna's pretty strong right now, and it's sandstorm season."

Some members of the Council seemed surprised that a young Jonin would have such in-depth knowledge of a rival, if allied, country, but those who knew the genius best weren't surprised at all.

"They will send Genin teams in here, here, and here, probably four or five teams each, to test our defenses. After that, there will be a Chunin attack- a real one- on both of the port towns to the east. They're probably already moving, or out at sea, waiting for word. This attack will be to cut off our supply, and it will probably work. We might have to let it."

Some of the others objected, but Naruto silenced them with a raised hand, "Let him finish."

Shika nodded his thanks to his friend and explained, "We can't defend against a full assault force everywhere. We have to save our Kings- our children, our forces- for where they're most needed. It's basic strategy- on the one hand, you can have a large force around your whole border and leave the center undefended. But if that happens, and they breach one place... it's all over. So we do the opposite, and leave our borders lightly defended and have a stronger core."

"But that will cost us a great deal of time, and prevent us from fighting a long war," one of the Elders said.

"Exactly," Shikamaru said, "And they'll know that. So they will prepare for it, and try to wait us out. Meanwhile, we'll be massing in one location- Konoha- so that when they lay siege, we're far more prepared for it than they are. It's here that we'll crush them after they think they've won."

Tsunade nodded, but looked to Naruto for confirmation before agreeing to the plan. "Good work, Shikamaru. Let's start delegating tasks...but before that, I have an announcement."

_All eyes went to her, and the old woman spoke slowly, "This war will be my last act as Hokage. After this, if I'm still here... I'm retiring. Naruto may not quite be ready yet, but he will have plenty of help. I just... don't have the energy any more."_


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 12**

_I can't believe I got played so easily... what kind of shinobi am I? It's one thing to leave Konoha... and declare myself a rogue. But to assassinate the head of state of an enemy nation? I've started a war! Hundreds, maybe thousands will die... and it's all my fault!_

_Please..._

_Someone..._

_Anyone..._

_Kill me! _

_Take this agony away!_

* * *

The plans were made, ninja on non-critical missions were recalled, payments refunded. In three day's time, Konoha would be ready- or as ready as it would ever be. Iruka, Sakura, and Naruto sat in the still-tiny Ichiraku Ramen Shop, enjoying what may be their last meal together.

"No," Naruto said loudly, "it was never like that! I had the biggest crush on _Sakura_ back then... believe me!"

She waved the negative and laughed, and Iruka laughed with her, "Don't lie, Naruto... she already knows the truth. Your hole's dug, now!"

Just then, a familiar voice called from outside the curtains, "So you never had a thing for me, huh, Naruto?"

Ino, followed by her daughter, came into the shop. The older was grinning evilly, the younger embarrassed by her antics.

"Uh... sorry, Ino, but you never were my type. Too pushy," Naruto answered, turning back to his soup to avoid further complications.

"Too pushy? But look at you now! You're with Sakura, and if there was ever anyone more pig-headed than me-"

Sakura snickered, "You just called yourself a pig, Pig!"

Ino's mouth clapped shut and she glared at her friend. She sat down next to Naruto and clutched his arm, pulling him toward her, leaving the reddening Inoko to sit next to Iruka on the only other seat.

The young man grimaced, clearly uncomfortable, but didn't put much effort into pulling away, maybe because Ino had pulled his arm straight between her ample breasts.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched, but she did nothing but say, "That's okay, Ino-pig. I know you can't get a handsome man on your own, so you just have to try and steal the other women's. You can try, if you want, but it won't work. He's aaaalll mine."

Iruka was doing his best to block the young girls' eyes from watching her mother's 'activities', but she wasn't even trying to watch. "Mother... when are you going to grow up? You know Lee's right outside."

And at once, Ino released Naruto's arm. "Lee? Come in! Don't sit out there like you're embarrassed to be seen with me!"

There was a sound of scuffing feet, but eventually the curtain was pushed aside once more.

Naruto, Iruka, and Sakura all gasped in shock.

There was... Lee. But it wasn't Lee, either.

The face was the same, maybe a little scruffier. It looked like he hadn't shaved in a day or two. The hair was completely different, the hideous bowl-cut gone, replaced by a short blast-back. Even his eyebrows had been trimmed. The biggest change, though, was the outfit. He wasn't wearing anything green- or even spandex.

Instead, the man was dressed in simple, casual clothes that still allowed him to move freely. Khaki pants, a loose-fitting dress shirt, and solid-looking shoes. To top it all off, though, his face was so red that it looked like he'd been opening Chakra Gates. Because of that, if nothing else, it only took seconds for the three of them who hadn't already seen it to burst into laughter.

As soon as they started, however, Lee's back stood up straight, and his expression tightened as he put his nose into the air. "I do not care! Laugh if you want! Gai-sensei says it's okay to take a break from training outfits once in a while, and Ino-chan says I look good this way, so I don't care what you think! Go ahead and laugh!"

The three tried to control themselves while he took the two steps necessary to reach Ino's chair, and easily picked her up and sat down himself, placing her on his lap.  
"No, sorry, Lee... it's just, it was a surprise, that's all..." Sakura eventually choked out.

Naruto had to ruin it, though, by saying, "Yeah... that and your face! Ha ha ha!"

But Lee refused to show any signs of regret, in fact he seemed inordinately pleased that his friends would go through the effort to mock him for such a drastic change in appearance. Then again, he was also distracted by Ino chewing on one of his ears, so he may not have been listening at all.

* * *

There was suddenly light, so painful it hurt her eyes. _Who is that? They haven't brought me food... or water in forever. Is this..._

"Ah, my little Hinata. How kind of you to kill that man for us... it's a pity he wasn't who you thought."

"Danjiro! How dare you show your face to... me..." the outburst had drained what little strength she had left, and Hinata collapsed back onto her cot.

"Don't worry too much, little one... you did the Stone a great service. That man was a traitor to our nation, and both the Lord High Priest and the Iwakage have expressed deep gratitude to my cell for his disposal. So I'm here to thank you... personally."

The word, delivered with the slightest of inflections, caused shaking images to appear in Hinata's mind. _Genjutsu... if I use the Byakugan, I can pierce it. But I don't have any Chakra left, and I..._

And then the images overwhelmed her. Her birth in Iwagakure, the loving family who had raised her, doted on her, and made her strong. The secret dalliance a kunoichi had had with a Hyuga, generations past, resulting in the sudden appearance of the Byakugan Eye kekkei genkai in her. The years at the Iwa Ninja School, her graduation to Genin, and then Chunin, and the loving man she cared so much for, would sacrifice anything for... the man who had come to her cell to set her free.

"Danjiro... you came for me... I knew you would..." and then she was silent, her eyes closing in peace.

The man waited a few minutes more, then moved forward to check her pulse before tapping a transceiver in his ear. "Yes, sir. She's ready, I believe the Genjutsu has finally pierced her ability to penetrate."  
"Yes, sir, she's sleeping peacefully. She looks almost content."

"Of course. If I may though, sir, one question."

"If... she believes we are lovers, it was the easiest way to guarantee her cooperation when we need it. If she makes... advances... do I have permission to proceed? It may result in Byakugan coming to us for real."

"That is not an issue, sir. She is attractive, but my priority is, and always will be, the mission."

"Yes sir, thank you, sir. We will be ready to move in six hours, after she has eaten and digested."

* * *

The beast had found her, at last. She had resurfaced, and was moving rapidly eastward, surrounded by other ninja, some of them quite powerful. Even he was in danger if he attacked now, he would have to wait. There would be another opportunity.

So it was that the man, for it was a man despite the rage it had demonstrated previously, followed a good distance behind the army of shinobi rapidly approaching the Land of Fire.

* * *

It was the sun that woke her, which was unusual for Sakura these days. Usually, now, it was feeling Naruto watching her sleep that broke her from that very state. _Naruto? Oh... there you are._ He was lying next to her, as she'd hoped, both still naked. _Kami, that was great last night... I can't believe we were still at it at three in the morning... but I'm not complaining. But still... I'd better get him up. There's a war on._

She sat up slowly, not bothering to keep the blanket wrapped around her, and she looked at him sleeping for a moment. _Nah... I'd better let him sleep a little more. I'll just go shower and get dressed... because if we shower together, we'll be even later._

When she was out, toweled, and dressed, she returned to Naruto's bedroom to find him in the exact same position as she'd left him in, which was strange- because without her to steady him, he was usually wracked by strange dreams that had him tossing and turning.

"Naruto?"

He didn't respond, but that was normal. She reached out to touch his shoulder, then shook it gently when he still didn't wake.

"Naruto... time to get up. We've got to get ready."

He still didn't stir, and that's when Sakura noticed something truly out of the ordinary. His body temperature normally ran hot- a side effect of his high Chakra flow- but he was ice-cold.

"Naruto!"

She burst into motion, wrapping him securely in the blankets, not taking the time to dress him. _Remember your training... the sooner you can act, the better. He's still alive... but probably not for too long. Have to get him to the hospital, right now!_

She didn't bother shutting the door behind her as she ran from rooftop to rooftop, her lover on her back.

* * *

Hours later, there was a crowd of people strung out in the waiting rooms and along the hallways of the shinobi hospital. Most were healthy except for the anxiety that flooded them all at the thought that something could bring down one of the strongest of them without being detected.

"Do you think... he's gonna be all right, Konohamaru?"

The speaker was his one-time school friend, now teammate and girlfriend, Moegi.

"Yeah... the boss is strong. He won't let a little Iwa poison get him down," the young man said, his voice shaking just a little.

Beside them, their other teammate, Udon, refused to let any sign of weakness enter his face. "The probabilities of a normal person surviving such a poison attack is extremely small, but Naruto-sama is very strong, like Konohamaru says. He's a ninja, and has more Chakra than anyone in the village. And Konoha's medical ninja are the best in the world. So... his odds are a lot better."

The red-head glared at him and hissed, "For years I've been trying to get you to speak in normal words. Now you can't even give me a number? What are his _chances_, Udon?!"

The young man slumped a little, "Better... but not good. Maybe one in four. But... Lady Tsunade is with him, along with Shizune-sama and Sakura-onee-sama. They'll get him through this."

Similar conversations were happening throughout the hospital at that moment, as they had been all afternoon.

Preparations for the coming war continued, but without the help of all but the most disciplined of Naruto's many friends.

* * *

In a small ICU chamber of the hospital, the blond ninja everyone had such concern for was lying, naked, on a hospital bed, tubes and lines running in and out of his mouth, nose, ears, and IV units in each limb. Surrounding him were Sakura, Shizune, and Tsunade, the foremost medic ninjas in Konoha, and one other man- Aburame Shino.

"I'm sorry, Lady Tsunade. I do know the poison... but it's not something my kikaichuu can affect. I think... this is my fault. I had a feeling something would happen during the party the other day, and I kept close watch... but I wasn't watching for a bug attack."

Sakura gave a mirthless laugh, "You mean those bastards... the bug clan from the Stone? They did this?"

He nodded, "It's possible. They might hold a grudge against him because of the incident with the Bikochu. That was years ago, but... I recognize the chakra signature. I'm not sure which one it is, but one of the three we met on that mission was definitely the one who sent this bug."

Shizune spoke for the first time in what seemed like forever, "That's all right, Shino-san. Just... tell us everything you can about the insect and it's poison. With the Nara's help, we may be able to formulate an antidote in time... but hurry."

* * *

In Ginta Village, twelve ninja suddenly appeared. Most were young, some young enough that this may have been their first mission, but the group appeared with such speed and stealth, straight out of the very ground, that the small garrison left to defend the village had no chance.

Similar attacks were happening all over the Land of Fire, only the major cities left unattacked.

The war had begun, and no place was safe.

* * *

"My love, shall we go now?" Hinata asked, cooing softly while caressing Danjiro's jaw.

"Not just yet, dearest... we need to wait for Dokoru to get back."

She pouted a little, and said, "I don't like him. He's creepy... the way he looks at me."

"You don't need to worry about him, love... I always have my eye on him."

The slight man they were discussing stepped slowly from the trees and announced himself, "Captain Danjiro. I found... well, it doesn't matter. This charade ends now."

Hinata moved slightly behind and to the left of Danjiro, and both of the two drew kunai. "Charade, Dokoru? What do you mean?" the man asked.

The smaller one gave a small, mean grin and answered, "The charade where I play a loyal servant of the Stone. I was born here, maybe, but I have always been a citizen of the Sand. Lady Hinata, come with me, please. The Kazekage has come for you. We're going to take you back to Konoha, back to your true love."

Hinata scowled. "What are you saying? My love is right here."

"You see, Dokoru?" the other man laughed, pulling Hinata against him, "She's perfectly happy with me... your thin attempts at trickery won't work. So tell me... how long have you been a traitor?"  
The little man spit to the side and said, "I've never been a traitor... like I said, I've always been loyal to the Sand." He reached one hand up to pull off his headband and flipped it over, revealing the symbol of Sunakagure etched into it. "You see? From the start... and my lord and master is _here._"

With a wild scream, the army of ninja behind them began to die.

"Pity, Dokoru... pity that one so skilled at being a ninja had to be false. Don't you know? Loyalty to the mission is everything. And you gave it up... for someone _else_ to take a woman back? Pity indeed."

Neither Hinata nor Dokoru had time to blink before the captains' Kunai pierced an eye. The ninja fell to the ground, and did not stir.

"Come, Hinata. We need to flee. If what he said about the Kazekage is correct, we'll need to-"

"It's no use running."

The voice sent chills down Hinata's spine.

Sand coalesced in front of them, gathering from all around them, into the form of a young man.

"You? You are far, far to young to be the great Kazekage," Danjiro sneered, but the man in front of him didn't react. His arms were folded, a great gourd of sand on his back. His eyes were teal, his hair a dark crimson, and the kanji for 'love' was tattooed in the same red color on his forehead, but there was no love in his eyes for the man before him.  
"Young, yes. But I am the Kazekage. But I'm not here as the Kazekage right now. I'm here as the friend of Uzumaki Naruto. I'm here to bring his woman back to him."

The rasping voice caused some small, subtle shift in Hinata, and Danjiro reacted at once. His gauntleted hand struck a certain pressure point in one swift jab, and she fell to the ground, unconscious. "Don't try and unmake my conditioning, _boy_. The woman is mine, now... she left of her own free will, and became my servant the same way. More or less. Who is this Uzumaki, anyway?"

Gaara of the Sand spoke, his voice just as menacing as ever, but as if he was speaking to an idiot child, "He is my friend. He saved me from a fate an eternity of hells worse than death. He is the future Hokage. And he is her love," gesturing with his head toward the woman laying on the ground, "so I am bringing her back."

The ninja looked behind him to see a path of dead shinobi scattered through the trees, heading in a straight line toward them. "This... destruction. The attack on Iwagakure was you, wasn't it?"

The red-haired man gave a slight nod.

"So... does this mean you have declared war on Iwa as well?"

He nodded again.

"Fine... we'll show two great nations how strong the Stone is."

Just as the last word left his mouth, hundreds of Iwa ninja arrived on location, the closest to Gaara pushing their Kunai into his body. When they pulled back to check the damage and prepare to attack again if necessary, there was only a pile of sand.

"Do you think a Kage is so easy to kill?"

The voice was coming from nowhere and everywhere, and many of the men were shaken by it. But Danjiro rallied them, "It's only one man. There's no way he can stand against us if we attack in concert. Wait for him to show himself and move at once. You... all the squads I pointed at, stay here. We have to keep moving, you'll form our rear guard once he's gone."

The captain picked up Hinata's limp form and led the majority of his command onward.

As soon as he was out of earshot, though, the screaming started again.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 13**

_She was kissing a beautiful woman she didn't know. And she was enjoying it. Out of the corner of Hinata's eye, she could see a man she also couldn't recognize. He was as naked as the two women were, his attention fully on the two of them, stroking himself slowly. She pushed the other woman down onto her back and groped her breasts, smiling at both the woman's panting and the man's groan at the sight. Relishing her control over their pleasure, she- _no!Wake up!

_Damn..._ she was having trouble controlling her breathing, even now that she was awake. Beside her, Danjiro slept peacefully, for certain this time. She'd caught him watching her sleep frequently, but this time he was completely out. The puddle between her legs was annoying enough to the kunoichi that she slowly crept from her bedroll beside his and out of their shared tent.

The night was quiet, after a fashion, but filled with sound, as well. There were owls, crickets, birds and insects of all kinds. There, a rabbit. Her enhanced eyesight showed her things she couldn't have seen without it, but nothing seemed out of place. The sentries of their camp were alert, those resting were almost all asleep.

_There's Kamagi... he sure takes a lot of turns at watch. I'm not surprised after Dokoru's betrayal. I can't believe that pitiful man turned on us... to get my attention, no less! I'm a better ninja than that, and a better woman, too. I'd never betray the ones I love, not for some petty man like him._

Thinking such thoughts brought her mind, as always, back to Danjiro. It was certain she was attracted to him, but Hinata couldn't bring herself to think of it as love. Affection, maybe. Compassion, certainly. But romantic love? It was a stretch she couldn't accept. _So why am I still with him? Simple, really... he brings me peace. Without him, I'd still be locked in that nightmare that used to be my life here... cursed because of my heritage. He was the first and only one to really accept me for it. But is it my fault that bastard Hyuga raped my great grandmother? No, but I suffer for it all the same. At least I got some benefit out of it... these accursed eyes can see practically forever._

A sigh caught her attention, and Kamagi stepped out of the trees toward her. "Lady Hinata, you should be resting. The attack on Konohagakure is tomorrow. We are deep inside the Land of Fire, but our sentries are on full alert. We will be fine, so you should relax."

She nodded, not taking her eyes off the stars. "Kamagi... how long have you known me?"

He hesitated only a moment, but a moment she couldn't be sure was because he was lying, or because he just wasn't comfortable with the truth. "About... six years, Lady Hinata."

"And in that time... have I ever failed because I was tired?"

"... no, Hinata-sama."

She gave him a cold look, and returned to her bedroll. After a while, she heard him move back into the forest. _I'm watched like a hawk at all times... but none of them ever see me watching them back. Except Danjiro... and that man with the red hair. I wonder what became of him? He seemed... familiar, though I'm sure I've never met him before. Something about his voice, and his eyes._

Eventually, the kunoichi drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Sakura was the first to leave Naruto's room. She claimed she needed a drink and a trip to the restroom, but when she left the room, she only collapsed back against the nearest wall, not noticing the lines of people along the far wall waiting for any news.

"Sakura..." one of them began. She vaguely recognized it as someone she knew, but was too exhausted to place it. And then she slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

Hours later, she was woken by a combination of sunlight and talking. She'd been moved to a position slightly more comfortable- laying on the floor, her head in someone's lap- but not from that spot.

"...ition's stable, but he's still in some danger. The critical stage has passed, I think, but his vitals aren't as strong as they should be. For some reason, the Kyuubi isn't healing him as actively as it used to."

Murmurs passed down the lines of people she only vaguely remembered, but Sakura couldn't bring herself to open her eyes, though she knew tears were streaming from them. _He's going to make it... he's got to. He's past the worst, and he's not weak. He'll stay for me, if nothing else._

"Sakura? Are you awake?"  
The voice that spoke was right over her head, and she opened her eyes to see a face she hadn't expected. She was in her mother's lap.

"Mom?"

The woman smiled gently, her own green eyes swimming with tears, "It's me, love."

"But... you... why are you here? I thought you wanted nothing more to do with me?"

This was news to the majority of the people in the hall, but most of them did nothing more than look away, embarrassed by the scene already.

"I... your father and I... we just... didn't know how to handle you being a ninja. That's all... but I think... no, I know- that we're doing our best to cope. We thought at first that you just needed to see what it was like, but after you graduated and started going on missions... it became harder and harder for us to handle it. That's why we fought so much. And that terrible night when you came home so hurt... it was all we could do not to go crazy. I'm sorry for how we both acted, but... you're our daughter. We couldn't help it."

Sakura sat up, pulling her mother into a crushing embrace, "Oh momma... I love you."

After a while, someone's cough brought her back to reality and she pulled away, but didn't let go. "But... why are you here? For... Naruto?"

Her mother shook her head, "I still can't... get past the idea of you being with the container for that beast... but I know you're happy with him, so I'm trying. I'm here for you. Your man's in the hospital, in critical condition. How could I not be here for you?"

* * *

The next day, the gathering storm broke. Konohamaru flew into Naruto's room, where both Sakura and Tsunade were still doing all they could to heal his damage from the poison, which had been severe. "Obaa-chan! They're coming!"

The old woman nodded sternly and said, "Go. One of us will be along to take charge shortly."

After he'd left again, in the same rush, Tsunade turned to her apprentice. "Sakura... one of us needs to go. I don't care which- you're stronger than I am, now, but lack some experience. But you're still my apprentice, and one of the finest medic ninjas in the world. So... what do you want to do? Stay here with him, or go to the battle? If you go, of course I'll stay here. If you want me to go and you to stay, I will understand, and give the battle my all."

Sakura looked down at Naruto's sleeping face, still twisted in pain, and said softly, "He'd never forgive me if I backed down. If I failed to help protect Konoha. So I'll go. I'm trusting you, shishio... grandmother. Keep Naruto alive. Do whatever you have to do, please."

The older woman nodded once, and that was all the two needed to say or hear.

* * *

Shikamaru had been right about almost everything, but that was no surprise. What was surprising was that he, like every other Leaf shinobi, had underestimated the sheer number of Rock ninja. When Sakura joined the command team at the top of the great gates leading out of the city, she was amazed to see the very tops of the trees moving, for almost as far as she could see. _How many of them _are_ there?_

Below her there were twenty ninja arrayed around the largest Jutsu circle she'd ever seen, most of the older, or retired, shinobi still in the village were there. Beside her, the more powerful Jonin, including Kurenai, Gai, Neji, and Shikamaru stood with a few others who could be trusted to not fail the most important tasks- the remains of Team Eight, Neji and Tenten, Lee and Ino, and Choji. In addition, there was a clump of Genin standing nearby, one of whom started toward her as soon as she was spotted.

"Shikamaru," Sakura said turning to the lazy genius, "what's the situation?"

"About four thousand to our two. Not the best odds... but this is our home. And we're more ready than they think. The biggest drawback we have right now isn't the numbers, it's having Naruto and Tsunade out of the fight. That's a big blow to morale, not to mention their fighting prowess."

"Right. Well... I'm here, so I'll have to do their work as well," she said, pulling on her now-seldom-used gloves. Her expression was grim, as was his when he answered her assertion.

"No. You have to take charge of the medics. I need you to stay out of this battle, Sakura. Shizune is at the hospital, working with the civilian wounded, and Tsunade is with Naruto. You're the only one that can do it."

"Shikamaru, they almost _killed Naruto_. Do you think for one second I'm going to _let them go_?"

He gave her a stern look and replied, "Yes, I do. Because that's your orders. I've been placed in charge of the defense, so you'll do it, and that's that. It's the medic's job to stay back and help the wounded. Putting you anywhere else is a waste of your talent, and I won't do it."

She was mutinous, and all of the 'rookies' were certain they were about to have a real fight on their hands, when the silver-haired boy who'd come up behind her spoke, "Sakura-sensei. I understand how you feel... because that's how we feel. All morning we've been trying to help, but everyone just tells us to stay out of the way. We want to fight for Konoha, too. We want to pay them back for what they did to Naruto-sensei. But... we're following our orders. We'll be brought in when the time is right. Isn't that right, Shikamaru-sensei?"

The dark-haired ninja pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and said, "Exactly. These kids _are_ going into battle, Sakura. If one of them gets injured, what would you do if you could have saved them but weren't there? We need you at the medic station. And that's final."

She huffed, but knew they were right. Without another word, she jumped back down to the main road and stalked a little further into town.

"Do you think she'll listen to you, Shikamaru?" Choji asked, and the genius nodded. "Yeah. But if she thinks she's being pushed out of the fight, she's dead wrong. The best we can do at this rate is slow them down. At least until nightfall."

Turning back toward his command staff, he finished issuing orders, "Ino, your Chunin team is going to head north. Your ability is still pretty slow, but you're almost as fast as your dad now, so I trust you can handle it. Inoichi, you're going to the opposite side. Bear in mind, you two are the flanks- you _will_ be attacked from at least two sides. Use your family abilities only to slow down and confuse the enemies, save your chakra for that and let your teams do the rest of the work.

"Choji, your family is going to be at the gate, the bulwark of our defense. Don't rush out and attack, just hold here. Neji, you and Tenten and Lee are going to stay out front. You'll be in the heaviest fire, but the three of you are just about the best at close-combat, especially against multiple opponents, the village has to offer. Don't let us down- but fall back to the other side of the circle after it's finished.

"Once that's done, the whole battlefield will change. It won't be until around noon, though, so you'll be out there a while.  
"Lord Hiashi, I'd like you and your family to watch the north wall. Everywhere between Ino and the Akamichi clan. Kiba, your family and Shino's family will split the south wall- it's a little shorter, so the two of you should be able to handle it with a bit of backup from we Nara. Right, dad?" he asked, looking over his shoulder to his scarred father's face.

The older man nodded and gestured for the others, mumbling to himself, "Looks like my own son's dead-set on keeping the first Ino-Shika-Cho from working together again... he's jealous of our skill!"

The attempt at humor was much appreciated by everyone who heard it.

"Right, the rest of you... organize into your squads like you were briefed earlier, and prepare to move out. You'll be going in on my signal, but not before. Any squad that moves- even one member- before their signal, or to the incorrect location, will be dealt with severely- by which I mean, the enemy's going to crush you. We need to have full cooperation on this, or Konoha falls. Are we clear?"

The mass of ninja waiting around and below the wall nodded as one, and began to move into position.

At last, Shikamaru turned to the group of waiting Genin and walked toward them.

"Right... here's what you are going to do..."

* * *

"_Attack!"_

The order came almost without warning, but each and every ninja in their army was ready for it. Following their orders, Hinata and Danjiro had moved to the south wall to avoid the other Hyuga. It wouldn't do any good to let them see that another outside Konoha had their kekkei genkai, would it? The Captain would be leading the assault on the southern wall.

There was suddenly screaming, the clash of steel on steel, and people all around the woman began to die.

When she came across her first opponent, she was surprised to see that the older, scarred man, his hair a dark salt-and-pepper color, seemed to recognize her at once, even fear her. He tried to use some sort of Jutsu, and his shadow lashed out toward her, but her Byakugan was already active, and he died with a kunai in his throat before she was touched.

More opponents followed, and more died.

What seemed like days later, her aching arms finally had a chance to rest. There were only three opponents left, two of them men around her age, the other a woman maybe a few years older than the others, one boy and the woman both heavily tattooed on their faces.

"Hinata! What are you_ doing_?!" the tattooed man yelled, and she flinched at the sheer condemnation in his voice.

"_Who are you? How do you know my name?!" _she screamed, and launched herself toward them. At once, the three huge dogs, companions of the tattooed ninja, leapt toward her, while a swarm of bugs was released from the arms of the other, heavily-cloaked man.

* * *

"Sakura-sama! We have more injured! The Akamichi clan is being hit hard, and we may lose the gate any moment!" She nodded, not looking up from her work. The man she was trying to help was one of those same Akimichi, one of Choji's cousins. But it was probably already too late... she should save her chakra and move on. "Put them over there. Nurse Karin, triage that group, _now_. Tsubasa, head out to the gate and help bring in the rest. Get me a sitrep while you're there. _Go!_"

Shuddering, the man under her glowing hands gave a final gasp and died despite all her efforts. There was blood splattering her entire front, and a fair bit on the back, too, she was sure, but Sakura coudn't care just then. _I thought... losing Kakashi was hard. This is sixty-four friends, family, allies I've lost today... and that's just me._

Before she could wallow in self-pity any longer, a growl caught her attention. Looking down, she saw Akamaru, the great dog carrying one of her friends on his back, dragging his master by the collar of his coat with his teeth. "_Shino! Kiba!"_

Their wounds were severe, but treatable. Both of them had ruptured organs, but the most significant damage had been to their chakra networks. It was almost like... but no. That was impossible.

"Hi... hinata..." Kiba choked out, and reached out his arm to grab Sakura's, pulling her face close to his, "It was... Hinata. She's... gone crazy, or something... she didn't know us. She..."

The sedative she'd given him finally took effect, and he relaxed back onto the medical cot, the expression of fear and concern still on his face.

"Hinata... Ginchiyo! You're in charge! Send for Shizune, and when she gets here, you head to the hospital and take charge! I have something I need to do!"

The rhythm of her feet as she pounded them onto the ground, one after the other, was almost soothing to Sakura as she rushed to where Kiba and Shino had been stationed. But it was too late. There was a gaping hole in the wall, blown apart by some jutsu or explosive. Standing amidst the rubble was a man she didn't know, but his colors and headband were of the Stone, and that was enough.

She charged toward him, but he laughed and jumped back into the smoke and dust of the battle outside the wall.

"Oh, Hinata, dear... this kunoichi is trying to kill me! Do you want her, or should I?"

He didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular, or at least, he was only watching Sakura, but the unmistakable voice answered at once, "I want her."

In a flash, the man she'd been running after to attack was replaced by the familiar form of one of her best friends.

But this Hinata was different. Covered in swaths of blood from head to toe, it looked as if she'd had red paint splashed on her over and over again by an angry child. Her long, flowing indigo hair was bound tightly behind her head with her hitai-ate, the familiar symbol of Konoha had a long, deep slash through it.

But what shocked Sakura the most was her eyes. The Byakugan, now long familiar, looked... different. The pale lavender had been replaced by deep, startling blue, almost like Naruto's eyes, in one eye, and the other an emerald green almost identical to her own.

The other matter was her expression.

In all the years she'd known the other woman, she had never thought of her as a killer. But this Hinata was. No gentle soul, no kind, caring friend... she was a murderer, and she _liked_ it.

_Oh Kami, she's going to kill me too... I'm strong, but I can't even hit her!_

But then, suddenly, the other woman was backing away, apparently terrified. She put up her arms to ward off Sakura and continued to step backward, saying something over and over again that she couldn't quite hear.

"Hinata-chan... what's wrong?" the male said, his expression and voice both showing concern that Sakura couldn't detect in him anywhere.

"It's her... the woman from my dreams! She... haunts me!"

"Woman? What woman? You only dream about me..."

Sakura was now thoroughly confused, but one thing was sure: This man was the reason why Hinata had betrayed them. His entire bodied telegraphed false affection, manipulation, control.

_I have one chance... but at least it's always something I was good at. If I fail... I won't be around to regret it long._

She dashed forward, one arm cocked back like she was going to attack, but instead of delivering the crushing palm-heel she was prepped for, Sakura landed her hand lightly on the other woman's forehead, just as she reflexively brought her own hand spearing into Sakura's gut.

"Re_lease!_"

The vision of the battlefield faded slowly, but Sakura had just enough time to see the blood-spattered Hinata blink twice and turn to the man behind her.

"Hinata... Hinata, my love. Finish her off!"

"Hinata?"

"Hi-" and then he said nothing, only gurgled past the ruin that was his windpipe while Hinata returned to Sakura's side.  
"I... saw you in my dreams. You and Naruto... you saved me, Sakura."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 14**

Hinata was in a catatonic state, strapped to a bed in the larger room Tsunade had moved Naruto to when he continued to improve. He was unconscious as well, and none of the medics talking around the two beds had any idea when either would wake up.

Throughout the night, the medics had all been working nonstop, not letting themselves be interrupted by the still-ongoing sound of battle around them. The group wasn't working solely on the two in this room, of course, but it seemed to Sakura that the majority of the most skilled were here.

More than half of Konoha's ninja were seriously injured, though a fair portion of those could still be pressed into service if the situation were dire enough. According to the latest report, two hundred and seventeen of the Leaf shinobi had lost their lives, most of them Genin, but a number of older, stronger Jonin as well. Most of the serious injuries had been among the Chunin, especially among the Akamichi clan, where the fighting had been heaviest, and the Inazuka and Aburame clans, where Hinata's group had broken through.

But since she'd brought Hinata in, Sakura had said nothing. At first, she had only worked feverishly to break the woman out of her own mind, but when it became clear that wasn't happening any time soon, she stepped back to make room for others and slid down the wall, her face in her hands. _Why does it hurt so much to see her lying there? I don't understand! It... it's like seeing Naruto on two deathbeds at once. But... why? I should hate her for what she's done... for hurting us both. But I..._

Kunoichi were usually not strangers to relationships with other females- it seemed there was always at least one in every graduating class that leaned that way. Most of them had kissed members of their own gender before the opposite, due to the practice required in their seduction training. But the thought of it had never appealed to Sakura before now, and she couldn't understand why... why it hadn't occurred to her already, and most importantly, why it was now.

* * *

The image came, unbidden, to her mind. Hinata was astride Naruto, bucking wildly. The man's torso and legs partially hidden behind Hinata were all she could see, but the pressure of his hands was on Sakura's legs, and she could feel his golden hair tickling her butt as his tongue lashed the sensitive skin between her legs. Moaning loudly, the other woman jerked forward, moving one hand to caress her breasts, and the other to wrap around Sakura's neck and pull her forward into a passionate, fiery kiss. A part of Sakura was shocked, appalled even, but the majority of her responded with just as much fervor. _Hinata... oh Kami, Hinata... Naruto..._

The vision continued, but Sakura couldn't make out much. It was wavering, blurring, and fading...

* * *

_That can't happen. I won't let it. She gave him up, hurt him so much... she doesn't deserve him anymore. He's with me now. And he's happy._

It was only then that the darkness around Sakura began to tell her things. Like the pain- not a lot, but noticeable, in her right elbow and just above her left wrist. Pressure on each ankle and forearm, her forehead as well. Somewhere just below and behind her navel, there was a powerful ache, like she'd been stabbed. _When did I... get attacked?_

"Where am I?" At least, that's what the woman tried to say. All she heard was a tiny whimper of pain. But at once, there were hands on her. Four of them firm, in control, and professional, but still exuding warmth and caring. The one of the others entwined itself in her fingers, the last wrapping around the same hand.

"Where... Naruto?" This time her voice was barely a croak, and one of the sets removed themselves at once, and something hard and cool was placed in her mouth.  
"Drink this, Sakura. It's water." _Shizune._

She drank feverishly, but was only allowed a few swallows, "Not too much, now. Your stomach was in very bad shape, we had to almost build you a new one. It's going to be tender for a while."

While she spoke, the other set of hands loosened the bindings on first one arm, then the other.

"N... Naruto?"

"I'm here, Sakura," his voice was soft and low, almost sensuous in a way, but mostly reassuring. She tried to smile, but her lips began to crack, and she stopped at once. "Hi... Hinata? Is she all right?"

There was a loud 'hmph' sound from somewhere near Sakura's head. "Typical of you, I suppose... worrying about the one who put you in this state to begin with. Why you didn't bother telling us your stomach was ruptured in seven places was beyond me. You almost _died_, Sakura!" The woman's hard voice cracked and trembled at the last, and Sakura could feel her master's steps as she turned and walked away a few paces.

"Shishio... I'm sorry. I didn't know... I just thought... it was anxiety.... or something," she finished lamely.

Naruto chuckled, but Tsunade's voice broke out in anger again, "Anxiety?! What about _my_ anxiety, Sakura? You and Shizune are like my own daughters, and I find out you were inches from death because you were _leaking blood from your mouth, while sitting on the floor of my own damned hospital_!"

"I was... what?"

"It's true, Sakura," Shizune said, obviously trying to give Tsunade a chance to calm down, "we found you slumped over with a pool of blood by your head. There was a pretty obvious trail from your mouth... by the time we figured out what it was, it was almost too late for us to save you."

The condemnation in Shizune's voice, calm though it was, was just as unbearable as the Hokage's wrath.

"I... I'm sorry..."

Naruto gave her hand a squeeze and said after a moment, in an attempt to change the subject, "Hinata's unchanged. She's stopped shaking, but won't wake up. Much longer and she'll slip into a coma. At least... that's what Obaa-chan said."

_She must really be mad at me, if Naruto calling her that to her face didn't get a response._

"Shishi-"

Sakura's words were choked off by the powerful arms of the woman curling around her, pulling her into a crushing embrace. "Don't you ever do that to me again, Sakura... you don't get to die before me. You have to grow old with Naruto, and bear him many children. You have to do what I never could."

Weakly, Sakura's one free arm- mercifully the IV-free one- came up to pat Tsunade's back weakly, and she murmured, "I... I..." and then habit took over, "Yes, Shishio.... I mean... Obaa-chan."

The towel covering the kunoichi's eyes was removed, and she could finally see three of her favorite people. Tsunade was wearing a glare when she stood straight again, but it was directed at Naruto, not Sakura.

"You... you don't get to call me that. She does, she's my little girl."

"But Granny Tsunade," he answered, hurt all over his voice, "wasn't I your first favorite- after Shizune, of course?"

"Yes, but you're much more annoying about it," Tsunade said, sniffing.

Sakura chuckled then clutched at her abdomen, wincing in pain.

"Shi... Shishio," the pink haired woman choked out at last, "It's really not fair, though... to Naruto, I mean. What if we... I don't know, get married or something? Then he should be able to call you Obaa-chan."

Shizune's eyes widened, and Tsunade actually gasped in surprise at the suggestion. But the one she truly wanted to gauge the reaction of did... nothing.

"Well..." the Hokage said after a while, "I suppose I could allow him to call me that... once in a while. But honestly, I prefer Granny Tsunade."

After a bit longer, both Shizune and Tsunade left the room to take care of their other duties. The conversation had been steered carefully around the subjects of both Hinata and the battle, and Sakura knew it early on, but couldn't bring herself to discuss much of either at the moment, anyway.

"So..." Naruto asked as soon as the door shut, "can I ask you something, Sakura?"

She opened her aching eyes and looked over at him, giving his hand a squeeze to say yes.

"How long... have you been thinking about us... getting... you know. Married?"

She giggled at the sudden onrush of memories. "Well... the first time, I think I was twelve. I was doing a... comparison of imagined weddings, yours and Sasuke's. Needless to say, he won... but I was dumb back then. After that, it was... less frequent, for a while. But I've been in love with you a long time, so it's always been there... at least since I realized it, just sitting tight in the back of my mind. Why do you ask?"

"Well..." he said, and started rummaging in his pockets, "I... have a present for you. If you want it."

It didn't take someone who knew Naruto as well as Sakura did to see that he was _incredibly_ nervous- and Naruto was hardly ever nervous.

"What is it?" she asked after he'd pulled out three kunai, a yo-yo he'd gotten from kami-knew-where, six explosive tags in a roll, and a small scroll on which she could vaguely detect his handwriting.

"Hold on... it's... sorry, I know I have it here. I checked earlier, just..."

_Geez, I thought his dresser was disorganized._

"Ah, there it is. Sorry, it's a little beat up... I had it with me to protect it when we went into battle... should have left it at home, my apartment didn't get touched."

What he pulled out casually, but handed over to her carefully, and oh-so-hesitantly, was a small, wooden box with a crack running down the lid.

"What is it?" she repeated, but he only nodded his head toward it.

She was a little nervous herself, now, too distracted by Naruto's anxiety- written all over his face- to put the clues together. But as soon as she opened the box, she knew.

"Oh, _Naruto..._ yes, yes, _YES!_"

She tried to jump off the table to jump into his lap, but there were still restraints on her head and ankles, so she didn't get too far. Instead, she thumped back onto the hospital bed with a painful grunt. At least he was intelligent enough to stand and lean over her, instead.

* * *

When Ino walked into the room, followed by Kiba, Shikamaru, and Shino, Sakura was saying, "about Hinata, Naruto? It's going to kill her. Can we really do that to her?"

The blond's answer was prevented by the arrival of their friends, who were already laughing and talking among themselves. Sakura wasn't surprised to see that each one was injured, even Shikamaru, but his and Ino's were relatively minor. Shino had a sling around one arm and bandages swathing his torso and head, but Kiba was hobbling around on crutches, a cast on one leg and a splint on the other. Like Shino, his mass of hair was totally hidden by the wrappings around his head, giving him a bulbous shape that made Naruto point and laugh at once.

"Shut it, blondie," Kiba growled, but with no real menace, "Just because you're the _next_ Hokage doesn't mean you're the Hokage yet. I can still kick your ass."

Sakura laughed with the others, harder when Kiba continued to growl, and the conversation went on. She learned that while all of the 'rookies' were alive, there had been devastating losses. Lee was the only one to come through relatively uninjured, his speed being something the enemy ninja had never encountered, and because of that, was something many of them would never encounter again. In fact, all he had were bruises from blocking so many attacks and hitting so many enemies.

Shikaku, Shikamaru's father, had been the first blow to really affect the couple. But as Shikamaru, while upset, seemed to be dealing with it well, neither of them could bring themselves to mope over it. Choza, Choji's father, had been overwhelmed and forced to take two of their family's secret pills, and at his age, the shock at put him in a comatose state after it had worn off- a state he still hadn't, and possibly never would, wake from.

Yamanaka Inoichi was, like his daughter, mostly unscathed, but according to the blond kunoichi's words, that was just because her father was the better ninja. In fact, according to Ino, he was the _best_ ninja.... and would make a much more fitting Hokage than Naruto. Of course, the fact that she was roundly shouted down by the group, herself laughing all the while, lent some sense that she was- mostly- kidding.

The sun had set, and visiting hours long ended, when the group finally decided to break up and make their way to their respective homes. It was only then that Sakura noticed that Ino had hardly said a word- only during the incident about her father's skill had she come out of whatever shell she was in. _Normally I don't have a hard time reading her. What's on her mind? And wait... what about Kiba and Shino? Don't they care how Hinata is?_

"Wait, you guys... I have something I need to ask you."

"Ah, can't it wait till morning?" Shikamaru asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Sorry... I just need a moment. Have you guys... seen... Hinata? Naruto won't say anything about her condition, and..."

Kiba's eyes clouded in anger, but he didn't look away. He didn't say anything, either. As usual, Shino only grunted, turning his head halfway to the side, but Ino took a different approach. "I'll tell you... if you tell me something."

"Um... okay. Sounds fair."

"Fine. How long have you been wearing that engagement ring?"

The eyes of all three males whipped around to Ino, then Sakura, and then down to her hand, where, indeed, they could see the shining piece on her ring finger.

"Uh... not long... maybe a few hours now?"

The talking broke out again at once.

"Congratulations, both of you," Shino said in his normal, monotone voice, "I'm sure your children will be beautiful, healthy, and most importantly, strong."

"Uh... thanks, Shino," Sakura said, grimacing, "I'm not sure you have your priorities right, but I know your heart is in the right place."

"Damn you, Naruto," Kiba practically yelled, running over to pound his friend's head with a few knuckles, "you lucky _dog_. You not only get to date Hinata- and she's _never_ agreed to go out with me, not even once- but you get Sakura, too? How come _you_ get all the good lookin' girls?"

He didn't see the slap from Ino coming, but even Naruto knew that was the wrong thing to say.

"All the good looking girls? What'm I, a fat cow?"

"Damn it, Ino! You didn't have to _hit_ me! I know you're taken... that's all!"

"And yet," she said in an aside to Shino, "I was... unavailable for years, but Kiba never got up the nerve to ask me out. So he's either a coward, or he prefers his women fast and loose. Which is it, I wonder?"

The blond sniffed while everyone took a turn laughing at Kiba's expense this time, then bent over low to whisper in Sakura's ear, "I'm so happy for you, Sakura. You two were made for each other. So... am I your maid of honor?"


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 15**

It didn't take long for news of Sakura and Naruto's engagement to spread throughout the town. Within hours, most of those the couple knew best had come by to congratulate them, though many- like Kiba, Anko, and Teuchi also thought it necessary to mock the young man soundly on the time it'd taken him to finally 'win the girl'.

At one point, there was a waiting line to get into is room, until Tsunade, walking by on her rounds, put a stop to the practice in a rage, declaring that the two could have no more than one visitor a day. Unfortunately, by then, the line had mostly dwindled to their casual acquaintances, with a few exceptions like their students and close friends, who were given the exception to the rule because 'I'm the Hokage and I can do what I want in my own hospital with my own patients' said so. Not that either of the happy couple were complaining.

In fact, despite the pain and embarrassment of rehabilitating Sakura's body to eat and digest with her rebuilt stomach, the two had only spot of darkness in a radiant, peaceful month of their lives- Hinata.

The woman still hadn't regained consciousness, and Tsunade had been forced to declare her medical state to be 'deep coma, with no prospects of revival'. Nothing they tried- not deep mind-altering jutsu like the interrogation team used, mind-transfer like the Yamanakas were capable of performing, or even drugs and other healing jutsu could find anything wrong, much less fix it. The only thing anyone could do was to keep her body alive, hoping eventually her mind would wake up.

Of course, even that had a small silver lining- since most injuries that could put a shinobi into a coma were life-threatening before they could reach the hospital, none of the medic ninja there had much experience with the process, including Tsunade. While the three lead medic nins, Tsunade, Shizune, and Sakura (on light duty now just to give her something to do) researched any possible cure, the other medics studied the phenomenon, hoping to find any clue that would help.

Though, as the Hokage put it, "I'm not sure I even want her to wake up. In a lot of ways, it's easier to just leave her a vegetable for the rest of her life. The only problem is... that doesn't get us any _answers_."

Indeed, that was the sole reason she was still trying her best to find a cure. For Shizune, the goal wasn't quite so cold, but nor was it truly altruistic either- the medic wanted to find a cure for the condition, in case it was needed in future. Only Sakura seemed to genuinely want the woman to get better, but even that was for reasons she refused to tell her senpai and shishio, much to their annoyance.

* * *

"Hey, you get released tomorrow," Naruto said as he came into Sakura's room a few hours after lunch, holding her medical charts in his hand, "says you have to stay on soft food for a month, but you can actually _eat_ now instead of slurping that goo down."

"Let me see that," Sakura said, jerking it out of his hand as soon as he was within reach, "and since when could you read medical charts?"

He gave a wry grin, "'s not like they're all that complicated. I just picked it up with all the time I've spent in hospitals."

She gave him a look that told him she wasn't sure if he should be scared or proud, "Naruto... it takes some nurses a year or more to get used to this. And you just got used to reading them? Then again... you _do_ spend a lot of time in here, so..."

All thought of reading her chart went out the window when, blushing, her fiancee bent over her bed to give her a deep kiss. "So... tomorrow, nine in the morning, we're going to be having a little party. Just you, me, and our kids."

Her eyes went wide before she realized what he'd meant, though the implication in his voice was obvious, "Naruto... that's... all right, fine... but nothing I can't eat, okay? I don't want to feel even worse."

He grinned and said, "Already checked with Obaa-chan. Ramen and cake are fine."

Thankfully, he'd already turned away to sit down, and didn't notice her rolling her eyes.

* * *

"Naruto, where are we going?" Sakura asked, confused. She was confined to a wheelchair for another day, just to make sure her stitches healed properly before they were removed, but her fiancee had taken no notice of either her questions as to their destination, or her demands to push herself. "No, it's fine, I'll push," he'd said, whenever she brought the subject up.

"You'll see. Geez, trust me already, will ya?"

_Wherever he's taking me, it's not to my apartment or his. But neither is really big enough for ten people to be in at once anyway. Maybe he actually borrowed someone else's? Or rented a place out?_

But Naruto continued to push Sakura further through the already-bustling city, past the open-air markets, shopping districts, and entertainment streets, out into the residential areas.

"This totally isn't anywhere I know very well... so where is it? Tell me already!"

She was actually getting a bit annoyed, but he grinned at her upside-down scowl as she looked up and back at him, "Don't worry about it. You'll love it, I promise. Just a bit more. I can smell it already."

_Damn it Naruto... you go off alone for hours at a time when you're supposed to be with me, leaving me to recuperate alone. Then I find out later it's with _Ino_ of all people, though neither of you will say a word when I ask... but both get all dodgy. What the hell? You aren't cheating on me... you wouldn't dare, for one, especially not with her. And two, I just don't see it. So what's going on? It's been weeks!_

At last, he pulled her wheelchair to a stop outside a good-sized house. It's exterior was white, the lawn and bountiful garden lush and growing, despite the fact that winter was coming on fast. There was even a small stable and cart set off to the side of the property, though both were empty.

"Okay, we're here," Naruto said, and stepped away to open the gate before returning to Sakura.

"So where's here? I don't know anyone that lives in this neighborhood."

"Sure you do. You just don't know it, yet."

It was hard not to be exasperated, but she held in the sigh with some amount of work.

However, all the frustration she felt melted away when she saw the names on the plate beside the door.

"Uzumaki Naruto-san," then directly beneath it with a ring- that looked a lot like hers- connecting them, "Uzumaki Sakura-san," and further down, "Senju Tsunade-sama."

Suddenly, the woman was having a difficult time breathing. "Na... Naruto..." she gasped, her hands clutched to her chest.

"Sakura? What is it? _Sakura!_"

He was in front of her in a flash, terror all over his face as he repeated her name over and over.

"It's... all right," she gasped, trying hard to cry and laugh at the same time, "It just... I'm so... _Oh, Naruto!_ Where did you... when did..."

He sat back on his haunches in the grass beside her, laughing for a long time in relief before he answered her mostly-unasked question, "I've been making payments for a long time... ever since I became a Genin. I never told anyone 'cause I wanted it to be a surprise when I actually got married, but... if Granny Tsunade's gonna retire, she'll need to move out of the tower, so... I had to get it ready for her. And since you said yes, I've been having Ino and Lee help me finish setting it up."

She looked at him, nonplussed, and asked the question burning at her straight-out, "You... own a house? Uzumaki Naruto, the least responsible man I've ever met, owns a house?"

He nodded, "Yep. Made the last payment a week ago. So we... well, we're already moved in. Lee met me on the way over to the hospital to tell me they finished, they were up all night."

"I don't believe it! Why didn't you _tell_ me?"

He shrugged, standing up and dusting his pants off, "No reason. At first, I didn't have a reason to. Then it just didn't matter, after I started going out with Hinata. Then there was too much going on. And now..."

"Now you have a fiancee, and a live-in grandmother."

He nodded, "Yeah, but I haven't told her, yet. Or asked her, whatever. There's plenty of room, though, two master bedrooms," he started explaining as he pushed her toward the front door, "and four smaller. Four baths, a good kitchen and two living rooms. The back yard's big, and the front is pretty nice. Ino spent _forever_ on the flowers up here. Kami... I hope you like it."

Only then did she notice how nervous he was about it.

"Naruto... haven't you noticed, yet? It's been a long time since I've thought the things you do are stupid. But this...? You bought a _house_, and didn't even drop a hint. It's amazing, really. I don't think it's possible that I wouldn't like it."

He grinned, reassured, and opened the door. "Well... here it is. Our home."

And it was. Pictures of both of them, their teams, and friends, adorned the walls of almost every room. Even the bathrooms weren't spared, though they had fewer. Each room, especially the large kitchen/dining area, had large windows to let in lots of natural light. The carpeting varied from room to room, but each was dark, rich, and soft when she put down a bare foot to feel it.

"Naruto... it's beautiful."  
"I'm glad you like it," he said quietly, then reached down to tilt her head back for an upside-down kiss.

"Been wanting to do that since you looked up before," he said, grinning, "I kinda liked it. I'd do it again... but I can hear Tenchi and Kamisori coming. They're here for your got-better-and-housewarming-party."

* * *

"No, really," Sakura said loudly, over the guffaws of the crowd, "he really did! No one could understand how he got stuck like that, I mean, we've all been using toilets our entire lives... but the way Kakashi and Sasuke were going on about it... I've never seen Sasuke laugh so hard in my life!"

Naruto grumbled in a corner, refusing to look anywhere near Sakura, but she was sure he was actually enjoying himself. Not least because he was the one who'd started the whole 'most embarrassing ninja moment' contest. _And why should he be surprised he's going to win?_

Inoko had, much to everyone present's surprise, told everyone that her most embarrassing moment had been when she'd informed Kamisori that she liked him, only to be told that he liked Tenchi, instead.

At first, the two had seemed extremely uncomfortable, but his hand had tightened around hers, and nothing more was said of the matter.

For Lee, though, the moment had to be the first time he'd lost a real fight with anyone besides Gaara- with a woman, no less. Sakura had been having a horrible day, week, month- year. She'd just returned, again with Naruto, from another failed mission to bring Sasuke back, but Lee, who'd been on his own long-term mission, hadn't known anything of the sort. So when he'd tried, with the _best_ of intentions, of course, to cheer Sakura up by asking her out- again- on a date, she'd snapped. Her first fist had missed, mostly due to Lee's uncanny reflexes and speed, but the second had smashed into his nose, breaking it into little pieces. By the time he'd stopped, he had been about four hundred yards from the hospital. According to reports from bystanders, (backed up by Sakura herself) that if there'd been walls between where he started and stopped, he'd have most certainly died.

"Hey," Naruto said, turning around to face the group again, leaning casually against the wall, "I can do one better than that. I mean yeah, I was pretty embarrassed... but I've been worse."

"Really?" Shikamaru asked, "When was that?"

"Chunin exams... the preliminaries. When I farted in Kiba's face. But I bet he was more embarrassed than I was!"

"_Kami_, Naruto! I still have _nightmares_ about that smell!" the Inazuka cried out, reflexively holding his nose.

"I can still beat that," Ino said, standing up from her spot between her daughter and Lee, "And it's about Sakura."

All eyes went to the pink-haired woman, but her eyes were narrowed suddenly into a threatening look, "Don't you _dare_, Ino!"

"Dare what?" her friend asked innocently, "Don't tell them that you actually confessed your undying love to Gai-sensei when you were nine? Fine... I guess I w- _hey_!"

Sakura's mug of tea shattered behind Ino's head, showering half the room in shards of ceramic. "Damn you, Pig! You swore, you _swore_ you'd never say anything about that!"

Trying to cover for his girlfriend, Lee said serenely, "It's totally understandable, though. Gai-sensei is a most admirable man, and very handsome, too. Anyone girl with an ounce of intellect would fall for-"

The still-green-clad ninja was shouted down by every female in the room, except Ino.

Even Inoko, normally as quiet in crowds as she was loud in private, shouted, "Hell no! No offense, Lee, but Gai-sama is _uuugly_!"

Even little Li, one of the youngest of all of the new Genin, laughed at his father being mocked, blissfully unaware that he looked exactly the same as Gai had back then.

A soft-spoken voice called from near the kitchen, "I think it's time for us to go. These two look pretty exhausted. Let's clean up and head home- most of us have missions tomorrow."

Most people had forgotten that Hyuga Neji was even there. But his words had an immediate effect on the party, not least of which because he was the senior Jonin among them.

In what seemed like no time at all, the two were left alone, with only the Hyuga to still keep them company.

"I-" Naruto began, but he was interrupted by Neji.

"I don't have much to say. And I'm sorry for breaking up your party. It was really enjoyable... and I'm glad I was invited."

"We were glad to have you, Neji," Sakura said, placing her hand gently on his for a moment, "we just wish you weren't the... only Hyuga here."

He nodded, "Yes... that's what I wanted to speak to you about. Tomorrow evening, my father wants Tsunade to pull the plug. He thinks it.... unseemly for a noble woman to be forced to live like that. He feels it would be better for her if she were... allowed to die."

Both Naruto and Sakura were at a total loss for words.

"Well... that's all I had to say. I just thought I'd let you know. Good night, both of you, and congratulations again on both your engagement and new home. I'm very happy for you."

The long-haired man bowed once more to each of them, and then once more at the door, before shutting it softly behind him.

"... tomorrow night? They're going to... _tomorrow night_?"

Sakura nodded, numb. _They... they can't! I won't let them! Hinata... Hinata can't be made to die like that! In battle, maybe. But not lying, unmoving, on a hospital bed! Not when there's a chance she can come back!_

Neither said anything for a long, long time. At last, Naruto, without a word, bent down to pick up Sakura, bridal-style, from her wheelchair. She didn't protest as he carried her gently into their bedroom, and began to peel off her clothes.

Still no word was spoken as he, very gently, helped her into her nightshirt, actually an old one of Naruto's, and then to lie down without pulling at her stitches. Her eyes closed at once to hold in the tears, but they still leaked out while Naruto prepared himself for bed as well.

The mattress didn't creak, but there was a soft rustle and she rolled just a little to the side when he climbed in next to her.  
"I can't believe it." His voice said it more honestly than his words ever could. _There was just no way._

Naruto rolled on his side to watch Sakura as she lay there, tears running silently down the sides of her face, but said nothing else.

And then, finally, the peace of sleep overtook them both.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 16**

When Sakura woke up the next morning, she was alone. The side of their new bed Naruto had slept in last night was cold, but the blankets had been carefully placed over her to make sure she would stay warm. Not terribly worried, she went about her normal morning routine as gingerly as possible- not that it was difficult to go slow, given the fresh stitches, and the fact that she didn't really know where anything _was_ in their new house.

By the time she'd given herself a sponge-bath, studiously avoiding the stitches, and gotten dressed for the day, the sun was no longer shining directly in the east-facing windows. _He's probably just having a hard time dealing with... her. Not that I blame him. He's either out running, or something, anything to work off the stress... or he's with her right now. Which is where I want to be. So... off I go, I guess. I won't need the wheelchair. It's a ways, but... I can make it. And if it starts to hurt, I'll just rest. I can even heal myself. Convenient, I always have a medic nearby!_

The kunoichi made her way into the kitchen and made herself some toast and tea, but when she got to the table to sit down, she noticed a piece of paper sitting on it.

_Sakura._

_I'm out for a bit. Should be back by tonight. I'm sorry. I just need some time to think. Don't worry, I haven't changed my mind on us, and I won't. I just have some stuff to sort out in my head. Please, don't cry because of me. I'm going to be okay. If you go to see Hinata... never mind. It sounds silly. I was just going to ask you to give her a... no. I can't ask you for that. Sorry. Forget I said anything. I'll be back tonight at the latest. All my love._

_-Naruto_

"Silly man. Why would I cry because you need help figuring things out? No... I might cry because you're making me go to see her alone. But that's it."

She finished her breakfast slowly, taking time to make sure it was well-chewed before she swallowed, took a jacket to help ward against the cold, and stepped outside.

The air was cold, a sure sign that winter was indeed here. It didn't often snow in Konoha, but the clouds to the north, and the brisk wind behind them, hinted that it might do so tonight. _Won't stick, though. We never have snow that lasts for more than a couple days._

It took Sakura much longer to reach the hospital than she'd intended, but she supposed that was to be expected. She wasn't exactly worn out, but the pain kept making her take breaks. _Who would have thought? It's just a stomach... even I didn't know there were so many nerves in there. No wonders shishio wants me to take it easy._

A hand lightly on her torso, the woman pushed open the main doors and stepped inside of her _other_ sanctuary.

"Sakura!"

The cry came from one of the nurses normally at the reception desk, but it was echoed almost at once by every other staff member in the room.

"Hi, everyone," she said, a little pink at the sudden attention.

"You aren't back on duty, are you?" the same nurse asked.

"No... not for a while, yet. Tsunade-sama says I'm not even to train my students until I can do a hundred sit-ups without straining myself. Like I'll wait that long. But I should be back here before then, at least."

"Good, we miss having you here... well, as a medic instead of a patient, at least!" the speaker this time was an older gentleman, one who Sakura had frequently caught staring at her figure as she worked, but she didn't mind. As much as she carried on about lechers and perverts, Sakura knew, without a doubt, that she was one herself- even if she wouldn't admit it to anyone. So she let him stare, even intentionally showed a bit more leg than she'd normally have done, just to see him stare.

"I miss it too... but not too much longer. Hey... do you guys know where Hyuga Hinata is being kept?"

Four hands pointed simultaneously up the nearest staircase. "Room 215. Did you hear? They're planning to..."

Sakura nodded gravely, "Yes... that's why I'm here. I want to see her once more. Is that all right?"

The two doctors of the group glanced at each other, the senior giving the junior a faint nod, "Yes, that'll be all right. Just don't blame us if Tsunade-sama or Shizune catches you in there."

Sakura smiled weakly and murmured, "Thanks. I won't say a word... but she's not coming in today, is she?"

The doctor shook his head, "Not until seven, when Lord Hyuga and his family are coming in. They wanted to be here, so..."

Sakura nodded again, and started moving toward the door. "Right. I'll be out of there before then, I'm sure.

* * *

The room was warm, inviting, and cozy... but cold. The paneling on the walls was goldenrod, with lighter yellow flower prints, the lighting soft white. The steady whir and hiss of Hinata's life support was a distant white noise, almost unheard past Sakura's sudden ability to hear her own breathing. _She's... so cold. What happened to the Hinata I remember? Even when she was her shyest, quietest self, there was always that... passion for life. The hurricane of emotions, everything from joy, happiness, and sadness, to fear, desperation, loneliness... it's not there any more. Now she's just a... corpse. A living, breathing, corpse... with nothing left inside._

Sakura lightly brushed her now too-long bangs aside, and bending low, gave the woman a light kiss on her forehead. _She's cold... so cold. I can feel her heat, but... it's not the same. Where are you, Hinata? Naruto needs you, still. And I think I do, too. _

Slowly, hesitantly, Sakura slid Hinata's unreacting form to the side of the small bed and climbed up next to her, careful to avoid pinching off or tangling herself in the woman's life support. _Respirator, heart monitor... still beating slowly. IV for nutrients... yes, everything necessary to keep one going... except the soul. I can't feel you at all, Hinata... and I miss you. I want to feel you beside me as we torment Naruto. I want to laugh with you when he does something stupid. And I want to hear you yell at me for being too mean to him. I want... _"I want you back with me. With us. All of us, Hinata. It's... so lonely here, when you aren't. When you left us... the village... no, the whole world... got darker. It's just not right without you here... please, _please_ don't leave us. Hinata, don't..." Sakura's arm slid across her friend's limp stomach, and she folded herself as close as she could get without being obscene.

_Hinata... _ "Naruto's going crazy. We both are... I don't know if either of us can handle it if you die. I don't think _we_ can handle it, either. He... he blames himself for you leaving, and I blame myself for you being in here. I hate it, but I do. Damn you, Hinata... in three hours your father and sister and cousin are going to come in here and pull the plug... don't you understand? You're going to leave us forever, and... and it just won't be the same. We all love you too much for it to be the same. Kiba, and Shino, and Kurenai, and Naruto and... me too. We all love you, and we don't want you to go."

Sakura kept talking, the words making less and less sense to any listener, but the message was always the same. And then, at last, she fell asleep. But anyone who chanced to see her would have seen her lips still moving.

* * *

Hinata was alone again. _I'm always alone._ Once, she thought she could remember being with others. Sunshine, friends, family, happiness. _But I drove them all away. I left them behind me. I couldn't take the pain, I was weak. I _am_ weak. I don't deserve any of that. All I deserve is this. This cold, dark place where there isn't anything._

_I betrayed them, after all, I hurt those closest to me. So what if I want to repent of my mistakes? So what if I want to repair all the harm I did? It's too late. I killed... too many people. Nara-sama, Genryu-san, Tetsuka-san, and so many others. And I killed... worst of all... I killed... Sakura. _

_Even if I didn't kill her, if she got help in time, Naruto would never forgive me for hurting her. And neither would I. I was a fool, such an idiot... worse than that. I... I..._

But then, there was another voice, saying "I, I," as well.

"ant you..."

"...ack..."

"-on't leave us-"

_I don't understand. This cell, this cell in my head... no one can get in! I have to stay here! Stay away! I deserve this!_

"Hinata, come back, please don't leave us. Don't leave Naruto, don't leave me."

_Who is that?_

"...don't care what you think you did wrong, we all want you to come back. All of us, we just miss you and we..."

_Is that...?_

"Hinata! Please, don't..."  
_It... it can't be. No, she's dead. I killed her. Is she... haunting me? Am I going crazy? Did I spend... too much time in this cell, and I finally snapped?_

"... want to be with you, don't you get it? Yes, Naruto loves me. But he loves you, too. We both..."

_No! He can't, I only hurt him! Tell him to stop loving me and leave me alone! I don't want- I don't want to hurt him any more!_

"-urts us both to know what we did to you, and no matter how much we want to say we're sorry, that we can't, and-"

_Sorry? I'm the one who's sorry! _

"...ata..."

… _she's... leaving me again. Now I can rest... in the dark again. In the quiet. Where no monsters can find me, and I can't be anyone else's monster, not ever again..._

There was quiet, in her dark, cold cell, for a long time.

And then there was a blinding, pure-white flash of light, and a voice roaring in her ears, "_Hinata!_"

* * *

That was how Tsunade and the Hyuga family found Sakura when they entered the room. The paperwork had been all filled out, carried right now by Neji, all except the death certificate. In just a few minutes, they would be pulling the plug, and the respirator would cease it's job. Her heart would beat a while longer, maybe ten minutes, but her brain activity- what little of it there was- would stop long before that.

"Sakura... no, I should have known you'd be here. It's a bit surprising that Naruto's not, though," Tsunade said, her voice starting out stern, but softening quickly.

"Haruno-san," Hiashi said, his voice empty of emotion, "I apologize for disturbing you. It's... time. She has suffered enough."

Sakura didn't say anything, only wrapped her arms tightly around the other woman, suddenly sobbing.

"Sakura," Neji said quietly, holding the attention of the entire room with his inborn authority, "Hanabi and I agree with this decision. Hinata-sama has been through a lot. We... don't want her to hurt any more. I'm sorry."

"... not dead."

"What, Sakura?" Tsunade asked, confused.

"She's not dead."

"No, she's alive... sort of," Hanabi said, also confused, "but... I wouldn't want to live like this. Don't make me... don't make my sister hurt any more. _Please_."

Sakura turned her head against the bed to look at the group of Hyuga by the door. She'd never seen the younger Hyuga sister look in such pain, even when she had been dumped by Konohamaru years ago.

"She's not dead. I'm sorry, you can't pull the plug. You _can't_. I heard her... she's still in there."

"Sakura..." Tsunade said, moving slowly over to the respirator, "I'm sorry. It's the family's decision, and... frankly, you aren't making any sense. How could you have heard her? She's still in a coma."

Sakura shook her head, tears were flung around the room with the violence of it, "_No_. She's in there, in her head. She thinks she needs to be punished for what she did, that's why she won't come back... she wouldn't listen when I told her we just want her back with us, that we love her, and we miss her, and..."

Sakura's voice trailed off, replaced by another round of sobs. Hanabi had to turn away, and even Neji lowered his head.

Hiashi, however, wasn't the pillar of his family for nothing. "Lady Hokage, if you would... or I will, if you prefer. She is my daughter, after- after all."

His voice broke at the last, but Tsunade gave a wistful grimace, "No, Lord Hyuga... I wouldn't ask you to actually do it. No parent should have to perform any act... that kills their child."

Sakura inhaled a deep breath to protest again, throwing one arm out to stop the older woman, but it was too late. With a quiet _thwick_, the switch was thrown, and the machine that pumped clean air into, and old air out of, Hinata's lungs fell silent with one last, forlorn whir.

"No... no... nonononononono... Hinata... don't go..."

"Sakura," Tsunade said, her own voice near to breaking when she reached a gentle hand out to the woman's shoulder, "I'm sorry. There wouldn't have been any point to us waiting any longer. I'm sorry."

The room was quiet except for the sobs of Hanabi, now in her older cousin's arms, his own head buried in her thick hair. After a while, a small sound caught Sakura's attention. Hinata's heart monitor was still giving out a low, slow beep. Every few seconds, yes, but it was still beating... five minutes after they had turned off her respirator. _She's still fighting... her heart isn't fluttering at all, so she must be breathing on her own, at least a little._

Throwing herself upright, not caring that she ripped out Hinata's IV in the process, Sakura pulled out the respirator as quickly as she could, the long, clear tube covered in slime and mucus flying across the room when she had it out.

"Hinata! Don't give up, you can breathe! Do it!" She gave a quick push to Hinata's ribs, but then her training kicked in.

Jumping off the bed this time, the others were in shock, unable to react, as Sakura pinched Hinata's nose shut and brought their lips together._ It's me, Hinata. It's Sakura. I'm not going to let you die. Do you hear me? Not ever. Naruto would never forgive me, and I'd never forgive myself._

Breath after breath. There was no change in Hinata's condition, but the emotional struggle had all three of the Hyuga, Hanabi and Neji first, and then seconds later Hiashi, leaving the room, unable to bear witness to his daughter's last moments.

Tsunade alone stayed with Sakura then, if only to get her to stop.  
"Sakura, you're making a fool of yourself. She was breathing like that when we put her on the respirator, but it's not enough to sustain her for long. You can't keep doing this forever. What happens when you pass out from lack of oxygen yourself?"

The hokage didn't see the glare her youngest student shot her through the woman's thick, pink hair, but she felt it all the same.

Taking a few steps around the bed, Tsunade put a hand on Sakura's shoulder, but in a flash, the younger woman's fist connected with the older's jaw, knocking her into the wall. Without missing a beat, once again, Sakura's lips were on Hinata's. _Don't give up, don't give up, don't give up, don't-_"

"What the hell, Sakura?! Why did you-"

Tsunade's words were cut off by the sudden gasp of the woman on the bed. She convulsed, coughing, for ten full seconds before the shock wore off and Tsunade began to move.

"Sakura, _move_. She needs water! _Go!_ Hinata, are you with us? Can you hear me?"

The woman, still gasping and shaking uncontrollably, gave what might have been a nod as Sakura rushed out of the room.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 17**

When Sakura returned to the room with a small pitcher of cool water and a glass, there were three other medics there, each one bustling to check another of Hinata's vitals. The patient herself was laying on the bed, eyes wide open, but shaking uncontrollably, her eyes alternatively tracking one of the medics, or jerking spasmodically.

"Sakura, good," Tsunade said as soon as the door opened, "you're back. Get in here- help me calm her down. If we need to, we'll have to cut the electrical flow from her brain- we can't get anything done like this. It's a major seizure, and we can't even find out why."

The command in the Hokage's voice was unmistakable- not just the head ninja of the village, but the best medic in the hospital, as well. This command was meant to be obeyed.

"Hai, shishio," Sakura said, and set the water down to immediately get to work.

After a little while, one of the medics asked, "Is she dreaming? It almost looks like REM."

Sakura and Tsunade both turned their attention to the woman's eyes for a moment, but there was so little difference between her iris and cornea that Tsunade's aging eyes couldn't even see the difference.  
"Yes... it looks like it. But if it's a dream, it doesn't seem very violent," Sakura said eventually, "just... active. And long... how long has she been like this?"  
Tsunade glanced at the clock, "About ten minutes. Most dreams last four or five, if I recall. So it's not normal, whatever it is. Orderly! I need an orderly in here_, now_!"  
The loud call brought one in almost at once, a gray-haired man.

"You, fetch Lord Hyuga and the two with him at once. Tell them... his daughter is alive, and we need their help. _Go_!"

The old man didn't bother to bow or say yes, he just rushed down the hall, leaving the door wide open.

When the four arrived, they were ushered it at once by the almost-panicked orderly.

Hanabi tried to rush to her sister's side, sobbing with a combination of fear and joy, but Hiashi was able to jerk her to a stop, pulling her toward himself. "Lady Hokage. What do you require us for? Is she... why is she shaking like that?"

Tsunade didn't answer, but Sakura had divined her intentions easily, "Is there any history of epilepsy in your family? Or other reasons for seizures?"

Hiashi didn't answer at first, but Neji was quick to jump on it instead, "Of course. While not technically in-bred, the Hyuga family does tend to keep very close blood relations- to maintain the kekkei genkai. Hereditary problems are common, including epilepsy. Is that...?"

"Don't know," Sakura said, "but it's possible. Has she ever given any signs that she was prone to them?"

Again, none of the three answered at once, in fact, it took so long that Tsunade burst out, "Come on! Just answer! Her life could depend on speed, we have to know now!"

Hiashi shook his head then, and said, "No. In fact, none of these three, nor myself, have ever had a seizure- it tends to occur most often in the branch families, and Neji is only one step removed."

Tsunade nodded, and said to one of the medics, "Run the test anyway, we have to make sure. In the meantime, let's work on that blockage, Sakura. Hanabi- _Hanabi_! I need you to do something! You're a ninja, damn it! Focus! Go to the reception desk on this floor- by the stairs- and have the nurse there summon Shizune. We may need her help."

Trembling with each step, the teen girl broke from her father's grasp and ran to do the Hokage's bidding.

After a torturous two more minutes, Neji couldn't contain himself any more, and asked, "Is she... do you think she'll make it? What brought her back?"

Sakura froze.

After a while, Tsunade slowed down and looked up at her, "Sakura? What is it?"

A blush was creeping up the woman's face.

"Sakura? This is no time to be embarrassed! If you know something, _out_ with it already!"

The woman jumped a little when Tsunade shouted, but came back to herself as well. "I... there's something I can try. I don't know... but... the CPR... that's when she came back. Maybe... Or before, when I was talking to her."

Tsunade nodded. "Hiashi, you and Neji go outside and wait for Shizune. When she arrives, send her in... but I don't want your family to have to see this. I'm sorry."

"Tsunade-hime," Hiashi said, already pushing Neji out the door, "I don't care what I see. I just want my daughter to be well again. I will stay, unless I'll be in the way."

Tsunade looked to Sakura for confirmation, and, still blushing, the woman hesitated a moment more before nodding. "It's all right with me... just... don't be too shocked, okay? It looks a little strange, sometimes."  
To his credit, Hiashi only nodded, but looked resolute.

When Sakura asked the other medics to back up and give her some space, they did so at once, only Tsunade staying on Hinata's opposite side to help if she was needed. The kunoichi bent low again to whisper something in the other womans' ear, something no one else in the room could hear over the creaking of the bed under Hinata's shaking.

Then, without further warning, she put her lips on Hinata's at once.

No one was ready for the reaction.

The shaking stopped immediately, and one arm went up around Sakura's neck, the hand tangling itself in her hair, the other slipped without hesitation down the edge of her pants, cupping her strong buttocks. One of the medics had time to gasp, the others only stared as Hinata's back arched, pressing her into the other woman. Her eyes closed slowly, then reopened almost immediately, but this time they were looking only into Sakura's.

After a little while, Sakura came up for air, and Hiashi wasn't the only one in the room surprised to see both women pulling tongues back into their mouths. "Welcome back, Hinata-chan," she said, smiling warmly.

"Hmm," Hiashi said, the next one to speak, "I am glad you are well, Hinata-chan. We will be outside, when she is well enough for company. Please do not discuss these events not pertinent to the medical profession. We... some things are best left private. Thank you." He gave the medics a communal bow, and left the room quietly, his face white.

Tsunade sent the other medics out as well, returning them to their normal duties, and said, "Hinata... soon I'm going to have to ask you some questions about what happened. But for now, I just want you to get better, okay?"

The indigo-haired woman nodded weakly, panting from the long minutes of effort, but said nothing.

"Sakura, I'm going to leave you two for a minute, I have to send a message to Naruto to tell him she's awake. He'll want to know. Unless you two would rather I keep it a secret? Your... umm..."

It seemed that the old woman couldn't bring herself to say it.

"No, shishio," Sakura said, still smiling at Hinata, "he'll want to know. Please. You might leave out the... uh... details... until we can tell him ourselves."

The old woman nodded, some small wrinkles showing through her genjutsu as a result of her stress, and left the room without another word.

"Hinata... How do you feel?"

"I..." no sooner had that one word been spoken, then Sakura was moving around the table to take up the pitcher and glass again.  
"Here, water. Sorry- I totally forgot about it. Your seizure... it scared the hell out of Tsunade and me."

Hinata nodded, her eyes glassy, and said, "I don't remember much... but I remember you and Naruto."

Sakura nodded, placing her hand on Hinata's sweating brow, "Relax, lie back. Tsunade went to send a message to Naruto, he'll be back soon. Then we can talk about it, okay? Rest a bit first. I'll still be here. I'm not leaving you any more."

* * *

The retreating remnants of the Iwa army that had attacked Konoha some days before hadn't quite crossed the border back into their own country, so when Naruto caught up with them, he figured they were still fair game. He didn't bother making a plan of attack, not with so many and so disorganized. Instead, he just made himself a promise- he wouldn't get in too deep. Because he couldn't afford to be cut off, he couldn't die- Sakura needed him now more than ever.  
_But I have to take care of my needs, too. She'll understand. Right now... that need is to beat someone into a bloody pulp, and the bastards who caused this whole mess with Hinata are right in front of me. And they have Gaara, too, so... maybe I can beat that information out of 'em while I'm at it._

The chakra buildup wasn't noticed by anyone until it was too late.

"Wind Release: Grand Gale Rasengan!"

Two of the enemy shinobi turned in time to see it, but most were caught totally unprepared.

The staggering burst of wind threw down eighteen of the stragglers, knocked down trees, and otherwise flattened a fifty-meter swath of thick forest. The cutting wind didn't let up, however, until every branch higher than Naruto's shoulder was sheared off the fallen trees. Those shinobi both foolish and strong enough to stand up during the barrage were ripped to shreds by the invisible blades of air.

"Heh, not bad for the first time I used that one in battle. Any of you alive out there?" Naruto called, his mouth twisted into a cruel grin, "I need some more practice. Come on! Anyone?"

The were moans of pain throughout the area, but Naruto didn't react to them, only the one man who actually called out, his voice still strong, "What the hell was that? The enemy?"

Naruto was behind him before the ninja who'd spoken finished rising up.

"It was just a modification of a jutsu I learned a few years back. You might have heard of it... the Rasenshuriken."

"Rasen... you're... Uzumaki?" The man was stiff, his hands already in the air when he finished speaking.

"Yep. You've heard of me, huh? Yeah... I get that a lot now. So, did you like it?"

"I... uh... it's pretty... powerful."  
"Heh heh, yeah," Naruto chuckled, pointing one finger into the small of the man's back, "Now, let's go find more of your friends, okay? I'm... feeling a little pent-up right now, and I think you guys are just what I need to cool off. You're gonna be a good guy and help me out, right?"

_Oh kami, he's insane! Did the Kyuubi take over at last?_

Still, the shinobi began to walk.  
"What's your name, man?"

"I'm... Jukiro Hanjyo, Uzumaki-sama," he said, trying hard to keep his voice from shaking.

"Never heard of ya. What's your rank?"

"Ch... Chunin, sir."  
"I was a Chunin myself until a little while ago. A bit before this silly war you guys started. Now I'm a Jonin. Isn't that cool? One good thing about war, fast promotions for everyone that survives."

The man nodded, becoming more and more certain as they approached more of his allies that he was a walking dead man.  
"Here we go... you ready for another one, or do you want to see the same move again? I'll even let you watch if you want, Jukiro-san. So what'll it be?"

"Umm... if I watch... can I do it from behind you?"

"Heh, no... but you can watch from the sides. I won't hit you this time. Don't get too far away, though, I'm gonna need your help in a minute. Gotta find your commanders."

The terrified ninja nodded and took ten steps away and to Naruto's right before he dared to look at him.

_Is he... crying? What the hell? He sounds so calm!_  
"You ready, Jukiro? Here it comes..."

Once again, the chakra build up was incredibly swift, the attack just as deadly. Another scar was left in the forest, and two dozen men- or more- died in seconds.  
"Why... why are you doing this to us?" Jukiro asked, obviously shaken.

"Why? Why not? You attacked my home, right? I'm honestly thinking I should just walk into Iwagakure and wipe it off the map. Give the fox a little time to play, maybe. But damn it, I promised Sakura I'd be back tonight, so I guess that's out. In fact, I should be heading back soon. Took me a bit to catch up to you. You Iwa are pretty quick when it comes to running away."

"Yes, sir," the poor man said, his knees trembling now as well.

"Hey, don't freak so much. You don't seem like a bad guy. Just following orders, weren't you? That's why we're going to your commanders. But I can't let myself get trapped, so I need to make a path. Simple plan, right?"

The ninja nodded once more at the blond demon in front of him and muttered, "General Tatsuba should be a little ways ahead... he was commanding my battalion. He's an older man, white hair, fought in the last war. He was one of the main planners of the attack, so... you should focus on him, right?"

Naruto froze.

"What? You'd sell out your commanding officer to save your own neck? What kind of coward are you?"

The man started shaking again, and felt a warm trickle down his legs. _Damn it, like I needed more proof I'm scared out of my mind!_

Naruto glanced down, his blue eyes ice-cold, then back up to the other man. "Heh. Tell you what. I'm going to give a coward like you exactly three seconds to get out of my sight. I won't chase you until then, I won't attack, either. If you can get away... I'll leave you to live with yourself. If not... well...go!"  
"One... two... three!" Naruto called, but the ninja hadn't gone far. "You can do better than that, right? Two more seconds. Go!"

In his panic, the man didn't even think to use any jutsu that might have gotten him further or hidden him from the demon that was taunting him.

"Boo," Naruto said, appearing in front of him. "Here's another new one... I just thought of it. If you survive, ya stinking coward, tell me what you think."

He made three hand signs and clapped his palms to the side of the man's head, then stepped back.

"Wind Release: Engulfing Kazerasengan!"

A perfect sphere of spiraling, spinning blue and white energy began to form around the man. At first, it only whipped his hair and clothing around, but within seconds the intensity of the chakra and wind had climbed to such a level that the dust in the air, not to mention the energy and wind themselves, were literally cutting the man to ribbons before Naruto's eyes. Tears still streaming down his face, Naruto turned away, unwilling to watch the man die, but also unwilling to release the jutsu.

_Damn it, you stupid fox, why won't you come when I actually want you to come out..._

Naruto continued devastating the retreating army, catching one unit or team after another, until word spread that they were being attacked. The pace was picked up, and the groups spread further out, so that Naruto was given a clean shot straight toward the commander's unit- if he chose to take it.

_Not much time left. I can make it, but if it's a trap..._

_No. They've suffered enough, I guess. I need to get back to Sakura._

Not ten minutes after he turned around to head back through the area he'd insured would be clear, the leading edge of the army caught up with another solitary ninja. This one was standing on the border of the lands of Fire and Stone, his arms folded. The look in his eyes was, if anything, even colder than that of the one they'd left behind. But the heat of blood on the ground after he'd passed was just as hot.

* * *

Naruto wasn't surprised to see that Sakura wasn't at their new home, or his old apartment, or hers. _That leaves Ino's place, the Tower, or the hospital... and no offense to Ino, I don't think she'd go there first. The hospital, then._

He was ushered up to the room where Hinata was being kept now as soon as he walked in the door, but no one would answer his questions about where Sakura was.

He didn't see anyone in the halls, until he found Tsunade standing outside room 215. "Naruto..."

"Obaa-chan. Do you know where Sakura is? How did she... how's she handling it?"  
The older woman shook her head and gestured to the room behind her, "See for yourself. Just... tell me again you don't have a weak heart, okay?"

"What are you talking about, Granny Tsunade? I've seen... dead people before."

The woman rolled her eyes and stepped away, letting him pass.

When the door opened with a slight creak, the first thing he saw was Sakura. Then his eyes were drawn to the woman whose hand she was holding, a woman with lavender eyes, both of which were fixed, like Sakura's, on his own.

"Hinata!"

The door was slammed shut behind him in his haste to enter the room.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Don't own it.

Thanks to Morlandros (I think I got the name right) for letting me know that, even though I fixed this on my computer ages ago, I didn't ever upload the repaired version. My bad. (For those rereading or w/e, it was simply some misplaced dialogue toward the end of Hinata and Naruto's conversation, about half way through the chapter)

**Chap. 18**

"Hinata."

"N... Naruto-kun..."

Sakura didn't say anything, she just watched the two, her emerald eyes flickering back and forth between them.

"Hi... nata... you're... alive. You're _here_ and you're alive... or am I... dreaming?" The man took a few stumbling, shaky steps forward until he reached the edge of the bed.

"No, Naruto... I was dreaming, for a long time... but Sakura brought me back. So I'm here... I'm here with you again."

"Hinata... where did you go? What happened to you? Sakura said... when you came back... you were... I donno, different somehow. Then this..."  
Sakura stood slowly, giving Naruto a wistful, but glad, smile, and said, "I'm going to go home. You two need to catch up. I'll see you later, Naruto, Hinata."

The blond nodded, but his eyes never left the other woman's. "Got it, Sakura. Thanks for... whatever you did. I'll see you later."

"Sa... Sakura-san, please... accept my deepest thanks as well," the indigo-haired woman said, her voice back to it's more normal quiet tone.

The kunoichi gave a casual wave as she walked out the door. _I guess... it's time for me to leave. No happy ending for Sakura. But it's my own damned fault. I should have realized what kind of man he was first, before Hinata worked up the nerve to ask him out. And I shouldn't have saved her- what am I thinking? Of course I had to. So what if it costs me Naruto? I couldn't just let her... no. I couldn't have. And that's all there is to it._

The two in the hospital room said nothing for a long time, just stared at each other. Eventually, Naruto pulled up the other small chair in the room and sat at Hinata's side, pulling her other hand into his own. "Hinata, I... It hurt so much when you left. I'm sorry, so sorry for whatever I did..."

"You didn't do anything, Naruto-kun," Hinata said, but he shook his head violently at that.

"I had to have! You wouldn't have left otherwise. Whatever I did to hurt you, please tell me so I won't do it again! I don't... I hate it when you hurt. I _love_ you, Hinata. I have forever. But if I hurt you, I..."

She pulled her hand from his to cup his cheek gently, "Naruto-kun... I love you too. But you are with Sakura, and she loves you as well. Do you love her?"

He nodded slowly, and forced out the words, "But I love you too. It's crazy, but I... I can't choose. I just don't _know_ which one I love more. Does that make any sense at all? Of course not! But..."

Hinata nodded, pulling his head toward hers, "Naruto-kun... kiss me. Please? It's been so long, and I..." He did, gently, slowly, and it was the heaven he had remembered it to be. _As good as Sakura's._

"I can taste her on you. Is that strange?" Hinata asked, her brow slightly furrowed.

"I don't... I don't know. I kissed her this morning... before I left. She was asleep." His need to explain himself, to make her understand that he really did love her as much as the other woman, was overpowering, but she brought a slender finger to his lips, inches now from her own.

"Naruto-kun... it's all right. I know... I can see it in both of you. You are engaged, and it's... natural to want to be with the one you love. I just wish that my wants would come true, that's all. But I don't want to break you up. The whole reason I left was to give you two your space, to let you... well... love each other without me getting in the way. But I'm not as strong as Sakura-chan. I couldn't do it living in the same village as her, knowing she was with you every day, and I... I..."

He kissed her again, wiping the tears from her eyes with each thumb, "Hinata. You didn't have to do that. You're stronger than you think. And I... we could have helped you. If anyone knew what you were going through, it was Sakura herself, and you were always someone she thought of as a friend. Isn't that right?"

She shook her head, but muttered, "But what about Sakura-chan?"

"I... I don't know. I just don't know... there's no way I can decide. Losing either of you would make me go truly insane, and... and... I would lose it."

"Lose control... of the Kyuubi?" Hinata asked, a little bit of fear in her eyes.

"No... not that. He's harmless, now. His chakra has been all but absorbed. It's just... I couldn't handle it. Not again. Losing you once was bad enough. I know my limits, and... losing either of you is beyond that. Far beyond."

The woman nodded, holding his hand tight against her chest with both of her smaller ones.

"Then... will you stay with us now? Let us help you? Let me... oh kami, Hinata, I want to love you. I don't want to let you go. Is that so wrong?"

The conversation drifted at last into topics that were, while uncomfortable, even painful, for both of them easier to bear. At his insistence, she told him- haltingly, painfully, but not skipping over any of the more embarrassing parts- except the details of the strange dreams that Danjiro had sent- of the time she had spent away from Konoha.

In turn, he told her the story of how their teams were growing, his courtship and eventual engagement with Sakura, not neglecting to mention that he had, in fact, begun saving money for their house because of her, Hinata, of course.

By the time both were caught up on everything that had been going on, the sky was beginning to show signs of pre-dawn light. Naruto stood at last, stretching his back and legs after he'd done so, and said, "I'd better get going. I'll be back in the morning before I go train with my team... I've been neglecting them a lot, lately. But since you're back... don't leave again, okay?" The sudden defenseless, pleading tone broke the woman's heart yet again.

"Of course not, Naruto-kun. I won't ever leave you again."

Reassured, the young man gave her one last kiss and left the long-darkened halls of the hospital for his home.

But when he got there, it was empty. _Sakura?_ "Sakura... are you here?" _Not in the bathroom, not in the bedroom... did she... _

_Maybe she's spending the night with her parents. Or even Ino. She might want some... company, right now. But I doubt she wants to see me. She was pretty upset when she left, though she wouldn't show it. I guess I'll have to go find her in the morning before I go see Hinata._

But she wasn't anywhere that he could find when the hour began to turn late. Now getting slightly worried, the ninja arrived in Hinata's room with a perplexed expression on his face. "Hinata-chan, have you heard from Sakura? She wasn't at home last night, but she seemed pretty upset when she left. Have you..."

He trailed off when the other woman suddenly activated her Byakugan, her face set in concentration. It was just a few minutes later that Hinata relaxed and let go of the jutsu. "She's in the Hokage's office, Naruto-kun. Laying on the couch."

Naruto relaxed at once. "Good. I was worried for a second that she'd taken off... I'm glad you know how she thinks better than I do. I'd never have looked for her there. Thanks... for everything. Sorry I have to cut it short, but I have to get to my team. If she... if she comes to visit you, will you tell her I was looking for her?"

Hinata nodded, smiling serenely, and he left, blowing her another kiss on the way out. _Naruto... is this how it's going to be? You constantly running between the two of us, trying to keep us both happy? I don't know if I can handle that. But I'll try, if that's what you want, I'll give it my very best._

Naruto arrived, already exhausted from the training and running around in search of Sakura, for his afternoon training session with Tsunade on the duties of the Hokage. Much to his dismay, though, the woman he'd been looking for that morning was gone by the time he'd made the short trip from the hospital to the tower. His face fell as soon as he'd glanced around the Hokage's office and seen that she wasn't there.

"You're late," Tsunade said, giving the young man a cold stare.

"Yeah... sorry about that, Obaa-chan... I went to see Hinata, and I was looking for Sakura, so... have you seen her?"

"She was here until I saw you coming. Do you know why she'd be avoiding you suddenly?"

His face fell further and he replied, "Uh... maybe. Yesterday I... I kind of took off before she woke up. I left a note and everything saying I'd be back, but... I just couldn't handle Hinata's plug being... well, you know. So I went for a quick... uh... training session. And it went a little long, that's all. But when I got back, I was so relieved to see Hinata alive, that I... well... I spent most of the night talking to her, and Sakura was alone, and-"

"She wasn't alone."

"-I came- wait. Sakura wasn't alone? Who was she with?"

The older woman waited a while before answering, still giving the blond man a piercing, cold stare, "She was with me. In tears. All night. After you _promised_ me you'd never hurt her again. After you asked the two of us to move in with you, and asked her to marry you. Which she agreed to. Now you've apparently left her for Hinata as soon as she woke up. The Hinata who betrayed this village, and you with it."

"No, I- uh- Granny Tsunade, that's not what it was like! Honest!"

_Waving his stupid arms around like that, he reminds me so much of when he was a kid... but this Naruto knows exactly what he's doing. Now, the innocence is gone and it's all calculated... I think. Maybe he really is just an idiot still._

"Sit down."

The command was obeyed at once, the man sitting in the chair straight in front of her desk, his butt perched on the very edge, hands placed calmly- but still trembling- on his knees. "Yes, Lady Hokage."

She smirked just a little, "Naruto. This will be our last training session together for a while. Your team has fallen way behind the others, even behind Sai's- and he's not as good a sensei as I'd have thought he would be. You need to spend more time with them. Is that clear?"

He nodded, sheepish, but said in his defense, "I know, I know- I spent five hours with them this morning. I'm going to make it up to them, dattebayo!"  
"Heh. I haven't heard you say that in years. You really mean it, huh?"  
He nodded fervently, but his eyes still showed anxiety. That in Tsunade's honest opinion, he well deserved.

"Good. There's another matter we need to discuss. Despite the gap in our sessions, I am retiring at the end of this year. Whether you are ready or not, you will be the Hokage as of January First. So _be ready_. You got it?"

This time he gulped, and gave one shaky, weak, and terrified nod, the blood draining from his face.

"Excellent. One last matter before we get to work. You need to choose one of them. It's not fair to either of them to keep chasing after both. You'll only end up causing them both lots of unnecessary pain, yourself as well. I wish I could help you out more, but... it's your choice, not mine."  
"But... Granny Tsunade, I just..." the confidence and self-assurance that, when he was younger, was an act, but in his adult years defined his very soul, shattered before her. "I... I can't choose. I love them both! Why should I... why should I have to make that choice?"

"You are a shinobi, Naruto. And a damned good one. You can, and you will. It's the right thing to do, and you've never shirked from doing the right thing before. Don't start now."

He gave a last, defeated "Yes, Granny Tsunade," and then closed his eyes to stop the tears from falling.

"So... I'm sorry that I've been letting you all down. I've been a horrible sensei, but starting today, I'm going to make it up to you. We can't got on a lot of missions- that whole 'Hokage-in-training' thing keeps me close to the village- but I can train you better than I have been, and I'm sorry. If you'll forgive me, we'll start fresh today- and I won't spare any effort to make you into the finest shinobi this village has ever produced." He finished speaking, and his three students looked nervously at each other.

"Sure, our sensei's great and powerful," Tenchi said after a little while, her voice at that moment startlingly similar to her older cousin's, "but he's so lazy. Kind of reminds me of Shikamaru-sensei's team, but at least he gets up to see them every day and talk strategy and whatever. _Our_ sensei, he's strong, but he hardly ever sees us."

The other two nodded, grunting the affirmative, but all three were secretly enjoying watching their mighty sensei grovel, on his knees with his head on the ground before them.

"Yeah... I can't believe our bad luck. I thought this would be the greatest Genin team ever, just 'cause of Naruto-sensei. But now we're the laughingstock of the rookies. Almost six months, and we've had fewer than twenty training sessions," the silver-haired team sniffed, sending pangs of memory through Naruto, "but it can't be helped, I guess. We're stuck with him."

"Don't be like that, you two," Inoko said, looking up toward her older teammates, "it's not his fault. Naruto-sensei's got a lot going on. I mean... Kamisori, you can't juggle two women, no matter how much you try. And he's got to put up with the old lady, too. You should give him a break."  
The youngest of his team snickered even before her teammates did, but Naruto didn't react except to whisper, "Don't let her hear you say that... she wouldn't show any mercy."

"I wouldn't show any mercy for what, Naruto?"

All three of the Genin jumped, and even Naruto was fooled by the impersonation. But it was just the youngest woman's mother, revealing a talent she'd never shown before now.  
"Damn, Ino, that was scary! Don't do that!" he begged, but still didn't get up from the ground.

"Wow, Naruto... you must have really pissed the Hokage off, if she's making you beg like a dog for your teams' forgiveness. Must be tough being the favorite, huh?" the young mother said, giving her daughter a wink on the way by.

"So... yeah... please forgive me."

The three teens let him stew in silence for a couple of minutes before Tenchi, at last, said, "Fine... get up, you lazy sack. Time to get to work."

With a whoop of joy, Naruto bounded to his feet, pulling all three of them into a painfully strong hug, and cried out, "You won't regret it! Now... believe it or not, I've been thinking about some things we can try... what I'm about to teach each of you is an A-class Jonin technique. It was the first thing I ever really mastered, though, so I'm sure three kids as talented as you can do it. You ready?"

Each of the three nodded eagerly, and he gestured for them to sit down on the nearby logs before pulling out his notebook to show them the diagrams Sakura had- much to his gratitude- sketched out for him a few weeks before when he'd had this idea.

"Now, the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu is, primarily, a Clone technique, as the name implies. But unlike other clones, the shadow clones have two distinct differences. One, they have an actual physical form, which separates them from genjutsu-style clones, and two, they have a little side effect known as 'shared memory transfer'...

Ino watched from the far edge of the clearing, hidden as only a ninja could be, as Naruto expounded on the various powers and abilities of what, when he was younger, was his signature jutsu. _You really do know your stuff, Naruto... at least for that one. Even I didn't know the shadow clones were that strong. But if you've been training with hundreds of them for eight years... I guess that explains how you got strong so fast. Not that you were ever as weak as I thought you were._


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 19**

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" the cry was echoed simultaneously by all three of Naruto's students. Kamisori, as expected from both his genius father and extremely skilled mother's child, had created three flawless clones.

Tenchi, whose family had only average chakra and usually focused it on other things- like insect-related techniques- had created only one slightly flawed version of herself. _But it's a hundred times better than my old transformation jutsu. _

The youngest of the three though, was showing a level of proficiency Naruto would never have expected- even from Sasuke's daughter. There were nine clones, each one imitating their creator in tone, attitude, stance, and voice. "Wow, I'm really good at this!" they all echoed at once.

_Is it always so weird-sounding when I do that with my clones?_ "Good job, you three! Tenchi, I know it doesn't come naturally, but with practice- you can do anything, so don't get discouraged. It took me probably nine hours to master this, and it was the hardest I'd ever worked in my life. So far you've had twelve, but you aren't just doing this, either. So don't get upset over it, just try again. And keep trying until your chakra runs out."

The girl had to fight hard to hold back sniffles, but she nodded resolutely. _Good girl. You're pretty strong, yourself. Don't give up._

"In fact, let that be a lesson for all three of you. You know how strong I am... but you only have the tiniest idea of how I got this way. I was a no-talent loser, dead last in my class for years. I had to work my ass off- sometimes literally- Hey, don't go _checking_ to see if it's true! It was a figure of speech!

"Anyway... like I was saying," he continued, taking a few steps away from the two girls of his team that had walked to either side of him, their eyes wide, "I had to work long, long hours every day. I don't know how long it will take you to reach this level of skill, but you're already getting a lot stronger. Your chakra levels alone are increasing tons. And that's why I want you to run yourselves ragged, every- single- day."

All three groaned, but he put up a finger to forestall further disagreement, "Not a word. Now I know you've seen Gai-sensei's and Rock Lee's training regimens. I'm not going to ask you to do that- I mean, that's just crazy- but look how strong Neji, Tenten, and Lee are. The three of them are in the Bingo Book, and Tenten only made Jonin last year. All three are S-class, and Neji's SS. So that hard work pays off, right?"

Kamisori nodded, still grumbling under his breath.

"Good. Now that we're on the same page, here's what we're going to do... the fastest way to build up chakra is to use it all. No offense to Kamisori's father, but the reason why he was so powerful was his wide knowledge of jutsu. He wasn't the Copy Ninja for nothing. Well... you don't have the Sharingan, but your chakra levels are already almost as high as his, because you've had to work for it. Don't get me wrong," he said, noticing the teen's slight glare, "he did have a lot of chakra- more than almost any other Jonin. But the limited amount was his biggest weakness. By the time you reach Chunin, you're going to have more than him. It's taken me a long time to figure this out, but... I know a way to increase chakra levels- permanently."

All three gaped.

"Heh, it's really not that hard... it's just like any other muscle. Since chakra is created by the body's energy and physical health, you just... build both at once. With shadow clones, so you get even more out of it. That's why we're mastering that technique before we go on to anything else."

Enthralled now, the two girls and boy were ready, eager even, to continue their training.

"So... for the first two hours every day, we're going to work on nothing but clones. Once you are totally drained of all your chakra, we'll start with Taijutsu. That way you only have your physical strength to rely on, and you'll get stronger that much faster. By the time we're all- well, you're all- exhausted from that, your chakra should have rebuilt a little, and we can start on more clones and then Ninjutsu training when you can each summon four or five at once."

Tenchi said, "Yes, sensei!" and immediately took a few steps back, forming the hand-signs that Naruto had come to know so well himself.

_Good girl. All of you are doing great. If we work hard... you might be ready for the Chunin Exams this time. And I'm going to do my best to make it happen- believe it!_

"Oh, Inoko... can I have a word with you while they practice?"

"H... hai, sensei," she said, startled. It wasn't often that he paid her special attention.

He beckoned her a little ways away from where her teammates were practicing and said, in a low voice, "Okay... this is hard for me to say, but... can you hold back just a little from now on with your clones? I don't want to hold you back in strength... but I know how disheartening it can be for someone to have a rival who's so far ahead of them. When Tenchi can do a few good clones herself, it should be okay for you to go all-out again, but... I don't want her to lose faith in herself. You understand?"

At first, the girl seemed confused, but after a moment she asked, "So... you want me to go easy on her ego? That... I'm sorry, sensei, I can't do that. Ever since we became a team... no, even in the Academy- she was always better than me. Now I've found something I'm better at, and I- I don't want to give it up."

_I know how that is. Giving things up is hard._ "Okay... I won't order you to. But... I do know rivalry, remember. So does your mother, and I'm sure she would agree with me on this. If you don't want to hold back, that's okay. But encourage Tenchi all you can by doing it, okay? She _is_ still your friend, even if she is a rival. Right?"

Inoko hesitated only a moment before nodding.

"That's great. Now, there's one other thing..."

He turned her away from her teammates so neither could watch their expressions, and said, his voice even lower than before, "It's about your eyes. Have you noticed any change recently? Any difference in the way you see things, time behaving weird, things like that?"

She didn't say anything for a while, but bent her knees into a half-crouch to pick at the grass for a little while before replying, "It's my father's eyes, isn't it? You've seen them. They're coming out of me."

"No, that's not it," Naruto said, plopping down on his butt next to her, "I mean yes, sort of. Your Sharingan eyes are waking up. But they are _not_ your father's eyes- they are yours. You had no say in the matter, you can't blame yourself for having them. Even your mother... don't blame her, either. She was young and stupid, but I know for a fact she doesn't regret it, because now she has you, and you're a great girl."

"I don't feel like it. I feel like my mother hates me because of what that bastard did to her." The response was so soft, so quiet, that even Naruto's excellent hearing had a hard time picking up the words over the distant cries of his other teammates.

"Inoko... she doesn't, I promise. She's been watching us almost every day, and she's so proud of you. In fact, she's in the trees behind us right now. Don't look! Just trust me. Your mother loves you. We all do. Even Lee, as crazy as he is, loves you. As much as if you were his own daughter. So don't you lose faith either, okay? Just because your father did something selfish and cruel to your mother that changed her life forever, doesn't mean it's a bad thing. And just because you have his eyes- well... I didn't know it at the time, but when we were kids, and I last fought your father one on one... I almost beat him. I really did. The only reason he was able to beat me was because of those eyes. They're very strong, and a gift most ninja would kill for. So... what I mean is... don't regret 'em. You'll learn to rely on their strength, and you will become one of the strongest shinobi in Konoha. Because of your mother's strength... and your father's. And maybe some of Lee's and mine, too," he added, grinning.

She smiled and turned to give him a swift hug, blushing, then jumped up, "Thanks, sensei. I needed that. Now... what else were you going to say about my eyes?"

He smiled again, picking himself up, "I'm not really sure how well I can train you, but I have an idea. The Sharingan is a descendant of the Byakugan. In some ways it's stronger, in some it's weaker, but the two are very similar in many ways. I'm thinking that with Hyuga Neji- or Hanabi, or Hinata's- help, and my secondhand knowledge of the way the eye works, we can get you a mostly-complete regimen. So... the first half of your day will be with me, as always. Then you can see your mother for lunch, rest, whatever, and in the afternoon... more training. With me when I can, even if I have a spare minute or two in the tower, with Mitarashi Anko if not me- she knew Kakashi pretty well after all- and one of the Hyuga every day we can swing it. All right?"

She nodded, smiling pleasantly, and said, "Sounds good, sensei. I'm glad... that it won't be a burden. For you to train me in this... and that they won't be a burden themselves."

"Heh, a burden... that's pretty funny, Inoko. Don't you know? Your father was one of my best friends. I'm happy to train his daughter."

As the two began to walk back to the others, off in the trees, Ino canceled the sound-amplification jutsu, stood up so that her daughter could spot her, waved, and walked away with a huge smile on her face. _Guess I can't watch any more... but now I know I can really trust Naruto with my daughter. He won't let her down... or me, either._

* * *

"All right, Naruto... maybe, if you're this hard working every day, you'll be read to take on the responsibilities of the Hokage by the new year. Maybe." _But he really has been working hard. I haven't seen him this focused since he was learning the Rasengan. And this is about _paperwork_. I don't understand it... I always thought he'd end up more like me and push it all off on Sakura or something. But he seems to really enjoy it. It's freaky._

"Yosh! Obaa-chan... can I talk to you for a minute before we head home? Not as Hokage-shinobi... but as... well... my grandmother? I need some... advice."  
_Oh shit. You know I can't help you with this, Naruto..._ She sighed, and replied, "Ask away... but you know I won't give you any more help with your relationship problems. That's your issue to take care of."

"No... well, yes, but not really... what I wanted to ask is... related, but not that. It's actually kind of a legal question..."

Intrigued, the old woman raised an eyebrow and said, "Go on."

"It's..." he was nervous just thinking about it, but he had to say it, for all three of their sakes, "I was wondering if... if it was legal, or there was a loophole, or something, that would allow... me to have two wives. Or something."

_What the... did he _really_ just ask me that? What is he _thinking_?!  
_"Naruto... no. You can't do that. Even if it was legal, which it isn't, you'd still be trying to have both women at once, and that's not something I can allow. How many times do I have to say this? Trying to do that will only hurt all three of you in the long run. And in the short run, it'll only hurt the women. How do you think they feel every time you leave one to go see the other? When you go home, it's Sakura you see, Sakura you spend the nights with. But every evening, and at lunch, it's Hinata. They _know_ what you mean to each other, and they know what they mean to you. But even so, it's killing them.

"Did you know that Lord Hiashi came to my office just yesterday while you were training? He wanted to know if I'd heard anything about why his daughter had been suffering such mood swings. Before lunch and dinner every day, she would be almost ecstatic with joy, but every other time she would be sad, to the point of tears. I told him... well, not very much, but as much as I dared. But he _knows_, Naruto. He knows the torture you're inflicting on his little girl, and he won't stand for it much longer. Something has to change, a decision has to be made. It's time, you've put it off long enough."

He didn't say anything for a long time, but when he did, his voice was firm, resolute. "I get it. I'll make my decision by the end of November. One way or the other." _Or the other, if I can manage it..._

* * *

"Hinata, I'd like to talk to you for a moment, if that's all right."

The voice outside the woman's bedroom of the Hyuga household wasn't one she'd ever expected to call on her again, at least not there, not personally.

"F...father? Of course, you can come in. I'm dressed."

When the door slid open quietly, Hinata was still half-laying on her bed, but finished rising, wiping the crusties from her eyes, when Hiashi had finished closing the door and turned around. "Hinata-chan... there's something we need to discuss. It's been put off long enough, I think."

The woman nodded, sliding over to give her father room on her bed to sit down. He hesitated a moment, his stoic demeanor shaking, but eventually he gave in and sat down beside her. He reached one large hand out to take her much smaller one in his own, and said haltingly, "I... there have been some changes in our family, recently, and... I think I know the cause. Or causes."

She stiffened, just a little, but he plowed on, "While you were... away... I know you were probably experiencing... some things... and you might have made some... uh... choices. I want you to know that, no matter what, you will always be my daughter. I know we haven't always had the best relationship, but... I only have myself to blame for that. It's my own weakness, my failing, and it was never yours, though I blamed you for it for years. So... now... I just need to know. While you were- gone- did you... did you find comfort with... anyone? Is that why you're so... empty, when Naruto is not here?"

She paled across most of her face and neck, but her cheeks turned brighter pink, "No- No, father! I... I still haven't... with anyone. It's just... _I love him_, Father, and... and I know he loves me, but..."

"There is another woman. Yes... I know the story. No less than the Hokage herself explained the situation to me. Not with words, but she made it clear that I was allowed to use my Byakugan, and the story became evident. It's Haruno Sakura, is it not?"

Hinata nodded slowly, her head falling onto her father's shoulder.

"Hinata... she is a beautiful woman, to be sure. And strong, trained by the Hokage herself. But you are the heiress- and a deserving one, I might add- to the oldest, most powerful family in Konoha. You have... nothing to fear from her. If Naruto does choose her over you, it is because he is truly the fool we believed him for all those years."

His daughter shook harder against him, and muttered at last the words she'd been trying so hard just to admit to herself, "I don't... I understand how Naruto feels, loving two people at once. Father, I don't hate Sakura... I'm not jealous of her at all. I... I love her, too."

Hiashi's world came tumbling down, and it was all he could do to hold onto a small remnant of sanity- but his self-control, practiced for most of his life, held firm. "You... you love another woman?"

His daughter gave a tiny nod, cringing, afraid he would lash out at her for her perversion, for her twisted nature.

Instead, he gave a sigh and said, "You know... our family doesn't hold much stock with prophecy... no ninja I've heard of does...but there is an old story... Hinata."

She looked up, expecting his face to be tight with rage, but instead there was only a lost, forlorn sadness in his lavender eyes. "Father...?"

"I'm going to go visit Aunt Subara for a little while. I need to check something. If you need to see Naruto... or Sakura... you may do so, but please, be back here before dinner. We have something to discuss further before... tonight."

She nodded, wondering what the hell was going on. _Why... why is he taking this so well? Why did I say it in the first place? I'm not even sure if it's true! Those dreams... they could still be coming from Danjiro, even though he's dead... he might have made the jutsu permanent. But... if that's the case, why... why can't I tell the difference between lust and love? I don't understand... Naruto... Sakura... I need you!_

* * *

"Yes, Lady Hokage. The Kazekage is here, now, if you're ready." The aging Jonin finished speaking, and Tsunade gave Naruto one last glance. He nodded firmly, and she repeated the gesture.

"Lady Hokage, Naruto-san," the red-haired man said, in his usual toneless voice, "good afternoon. I trust you are well?"

"Of course, Lord Kazekage," Tsunade said, rising, beckoning Naruto to do the same. He ignored her, of course, his attention only on his friend.

"Gaara!"

The man stood, unmoving, while Naruto jumped to his feet and pulled him into a crushing hug, but was smiling when Naruto pulled away. "How've you been, buddy? Did you hear the news? As of this new year I'm going to be Hokage. And the best one _ever_! Uh... present company excluded, of course, Granny Tsunade! So don't get too comfortable on your throne, you-"

"Naruto." His voice, still unchanged, was chilling.

"Uh... Gaara? What's up?"

"Sit down, please. We have things we need to discuss, the three of us."


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 20**

It was dark, and the house was empty when Sakura arrived home. She was exhausted from a hard day with her team, but she was proud of how far they'd come. _None really show any talent for medical ninjutsu, but they are all pretty strong anyway. I couldn't have asked for a better first team for me. But... I wonder where Naruto is? I guess he's... staying with Hinata. Maybe I should just pack my things... so I don't get in their way._

Once she'd finally allowed herself to think the thought, the act was easy. It took time, to be sure, but the hardest part had been admitting it. Without a backward glance, without second-guessing herself, the kunoichi began to gather up her belongings and place them in the boxes that had been stored carefully in the house's small basement from when she'd been moved in. _I guess I can't complain. It's been... total bliss, aside from Hinata disappearing on us. And the war... but other than that, I've been really happy these last months, so I shouldn't begrudge either of them their happiness. This joy I've had was more than I earned- Hinata is the one who stuck with him no matter what, and she should be the one to stick with him now. I was only a fair-weather friend while we were growing up, and... well, I'm paying the price, I suppose._

The woman couldn't handle thinking along those lines any more, so she spent the next four hours, as dinner time came and went, still with no sign of Naruto, packing. And avoiding any thoughts at all, because they always seemed to lead back to him, and her. And _her_.

* * *

"Father, I am here if you wish to speak to me still," Hinata said nervously. She was kneeling outside her father's study door, where he was deep in discussion with their oldest living family member. "Enter, Hinata, but shut the door behind you. Neji will be keeping watch to see that we aren't disturbed."

As the woman entered, her cousin left, but his face was composed, showing no signs of what they'd been discussing. But he still refused to meet her eyes. _And that's telling enough._

"Aunt, Father. Good evening," Hinata said, bowing deeply to her elders when she'd entered the room and shut the door behind her.

"Come, sit, child. No need for formalities tonight," the ancient woman croaked, "Your father has been telling me some interesting things about you. Some things that he thought I would be interested to hear. And I am. _Very_ interested, in fact. So... sit with me, and let us talk."

In her entire life, Hinata had exchanged fewer than five words with this particular aunt, who had always seemed cold and distant to her. But her manner now was not only inviting, but genuinely warm. Even her father, when her attention was turned to him, was at peace, if he still struggled a bit for it. Slowly, she walked forward to take the seat her aunt patted beside her.

"Shall I begin, Hiashi-sama," the wizened woman began, "or would you like to speak first?"

He gave a small motion with one hand toward his aunt, and resumed the tea ceremony the two had already begun so that his daughter could join them.

"Well... do you know how old I am, child?"

Hinata gave a small shake of her head, unwilling to admit to anything that might embarrass her elder.

"I'm old... old enough that my own aunt was related to Uchiha Madara, the founder of the Uchiha clan. That name has popped up again in recent history, as I'm sure you know. You know, I'm sure, that the two clans are related, that the Uchihas came from the Hyuga, that Madara, when he was born, was born a Hyuga. Yes?"

Hinata nodded again. What little of this wasn't part of the family's history, which she had studied at length, had come to light in the more recent events surrounding Akatsuki, Pain, and Orochimaru- and more directly, Uchiha Sasuke.

"Well... as I said, my aunt Shimarie was one of Madara's sisters. Like Madara, her eyes were... not typical of our family. However, they were closer to the norm than Madara's were. They had the typical coloration, and did not carry the Sharingan mutation as he did.  
"Also, Shimarie had a predilection for... shall we say, other women like herself. While it's not unheard of for a shinobi- many of us are taught to take our release where we may- in a family like ours, the urge is usually squelched for the benefit of the clan. To produce more viable Hyuga, you understand."

Again, Hinata nodded, wondering if this meant her own inclinations would be carefully monitored and controlled.

"Of course, your situation is slightly different. One the one hand, you have admitted to your father, and he to me, that you have feelings for another woman. But according to the same source- you, through your father- you have feelings as well for a man, one Uzumaki Naruto. True?"

"H... hai, Aunt." _Where is she going with this? I don't understand..._

"Good, honesty. Even if it's hard to admit, you did it anyway, and that's a good sign. Our clan is in good hands when your father retires."  
The sudden change of topic surprised Hinata, who threw a glance to her father, but he was still calmly preparing the tea, showing no signs that he was surprised by the sudden turn in conversation.

"Now... back to the subject at hand. I know you have studied the family in depth, but there have been some... side effects, shall we say, of the Byakugan. One of them is increased empathy towards others. The ability to see what others are feeling tends to, one one hand, cause increased sympathy with those we see- a trait your father used to call weak, before he learned how strong you are. This is a trait you have exhibited your entire life, as long as I have been watching you."

_Aunt Subara... has been watching me? But... why? Is it just because I'm the heir?_

"Ah, you are surprised. Don't worry, young lady, you are not a cause for worry among the elders. Far from it, you are seen by most as the pride of our clan, as much, or more even, than young Neji. And now I will explain why.

"Your father mentioned a prophecy, yes? That prophecy he hinted at was given by one Hyuga Shimarie, about three years before she was killed by Madara, which was days before his own disappearance. You see, Shimarie had one trait that was, while not unheard of, extremely rare- even for the most advanced users of the Byakugan Eye. She could see the future to a limited extent. It was this trait that manifested further, resulting in the Sharingan that Madara had. But while Shimarie's was less controllable, less usable, it was also more powerful- and could reach days or months, even years, into the future- where the Sharingan can only reach seconds, at most."

Hinata nodded again automatically, her eyes wide, while her father poured her some tea. She didn't notice.

"So you see, child, you are _not,_ in fact, weak. Your Byakugan may indeed be the strongest our family has seen in three generations, even if your skills do not lend themselves to combat as Neji's do. Towards the end of her life, though, Shimarie had grown quite mad, troubled by the visions her eyes brought her. It is our hope, our belief, that if you can find some Sharingan-wielder, that this person can help you find a way to control your eyes, so that the visions are not a constant threat to your psyche."

_I don't... get it. I can... see the future? But then... why have I always been so weak? I can't keep up with Neji in training, even after working closely with him for all these years. In fact, he's still many times stronger than I am, and I'm not the weak little girl I used to be._

"You don't believe her," Hiashi spoke at last, his voice almost amused. Hinata started, looking toward her father with a blush climbing her white throat.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Subara-sama, Father... I just... it's so incredible."

The old woman cackled loudly, causing Hinata to jump again, "That's true, it is, isn't it? But... that doesn't mean it's not true all the same. Shimarie was one of my favorite relatives, and I knew her well. When I was a little girl, she described my husband to me, kami rest him. I strove my whole life to ignore that minor prophecy, but when I met the man I was to marry, I knew at once that he was the one- even before our families had agreed on it. They weren't ever wrong, when she spoke of the future... but as she always said, you can't see the whole picture without being there. Maybe you have similar experience to back this up? Any dreams, for instance, that you couldn't control your vantage point? Couldn't move from one place to another, but had to watch from where you were?"

At first, the woman couldn't think of any similar occurances, but after a little while, her face turned a bright red, remembering the dreams she had assumed had come from Danjiro. _Maybe... not all of them. Maybe some were telling me what could be... But no. Sakura would never agree to it. Though that hentai Naruto might. He'd probably be ecstatic if I told him of these visions. If that's what they were._

"So you see," Hiashi said again, drawing Hinata's attention back to the present, "there is... precedent, I suppose is a fine word for this. You are not the first to have what could be considered a 'weak' Byakugan, but is in fact one of the strongest manifestations of it. You are also not the first to have other... leanings. You will not be thrown from my household, in fact, I am more sure than ever that you are, indeed, the most deserving of being named Heir. Which you shall be officially once again, starting from tonight's meeting with the council."

Hinata gave a sort of whimpering moan and buried her face in her hands.

"Hinata? Is something wrong?" Hiashi asked, concerned, while Subara sat there looking quite surprised.

"I'm just... I... it's all so sudden, so fast. I thought for sure that... that I would be tossed out on the street after telling you this. But instead I find out that instead of being weak, I just have a non-combat oriented kekkei genkai- that is extremely strong? And I'm going to be the Heir again? And... and I can be with Naruto? … And Sakura?"

"The Namikaze boy is going to be the Hokage," the old woman said calmly, "We couldn't name a more fitting husband for our clan's Heiress. Could you?"

"Na... Namikaze? Don't you mean... Uzumaki?" Hinata asked, her eyes curious and a little surprised.

"Oh, he hasn't told you, then? Naruto's father was Namikaze Minato, the Shidaime. His mother was Uzumaki Kushina... I had assumed he told you, given how long you spent catching up last night."

"It... it must have... slipped his mind," Hinata stammered.

Hiashi laughed lightly and said, "No doubt he had matters he considered more pressing than his own lineage to discuss with you. As arrogant as that boy acts, he is truly one of the most humble men I have had the fortune to meet. He will be a blessing to our clan, as we will try and be a blessing to his."

Hinata nodded, and then suddenly, for what seemed like the hundredth time in recent days, tears were streaming down her face. But this time they were tears of pure joy.

_I have a future... with Naruto. With my family. With Sakura... I will bear lots of Hyuga, and Uzumaki, and Namikaze babies! I will love them all, and... and..._

* * *

"What is it, Gaara," Naruto asked when the other young man had sat next to him at last.

"I came to report a few things your scouts and spies probably have missed, because the information is being carefully controlled. Iwagakure is still gearing up for a major war with both Suna and Konoha."

"How... how do you know this?" Tsunade asked, her eyes narrowing in worry.

"I was there. I saw it."

"You... you were there? They really did capture you, then?" she asked, surprised.

The red head shook his head in his subdued way, and replied, "Of course not. I was infiltrating- though once I was seen, I made sure that Suna thought I was captured, so that they would send the proper message to you. It was the only way to make sure you would be prepared for their attack."

Tsunade nodded, clearly unhappy with being manipulated, but grateful all the same he'd put the safety of their nation higher on his list of priorities than their trust in him.

"There are legions of men, most fully trained but some Ashigaru, being prepared to march. They will come when the first passes are cleared of snow this spring. I have seen the warehouses full of supplies- a lot of money was spent making sure that the bivouaced men would be kept healthy and well-fed through the harsh Iwa winters. In addition, I estimate that there are twice again as many ninja as were sent against you last time. I have no idea how they got so many so fast, but it's reasonable to assume that they called in a lot of favors. Probably there are some among them whose true allegiance is to Oto, many of them bear both our nations a grudge even after all these years."

Naruto nodded, murmuring, "Uh huh, uh huh," but unlike when he was younger, this time, he seemed to have a total grasp of the situation. "We should contact the Raikage, he still owes us a few favors. Information gathering, if nothing else. Waves could probably spare us some mercenaries, if nothing else. How many can Suna contribute to the war effort?"

It wasn't any surprise to Tsunade that he had stepped forward. In the last few years, he had finally matured, and while he was still quite- spontaneous- he was also a well-grounded, experienced leader. _Good job, Naruto. I'll let you handle this as long as you want._

"After our own defenses are seen to, we can probably spare ten thousand soldiers, at maximum, and forty ninja of mixed rank, mostly Genin, but some Chunin and Jonin. I'm sure Temari will want to fight at Shikamaru's side."

"So... about the same number that were brought against us when you were tricked into attacking?" Naruto asked, no malice or recrimination in his voice.

The Kazekage nodded, again no doubt or regret was detectable- it had happened, and that's all there was to it. Both had let it pass them by.  
"Hmm... it'll be tough, but I think we can handle it. It'll be easier if we get allies... I'll send a few runners out tonight, get in touch with some of the people I haven't seen in a while... and we'll go from there. Uh... with your permission, of course, Obaa-chan," Naruto finished, turning at last toward the old woman, his face a little hot, and worried that he'd overstepped his authority.

"No, Naruto, that sounds fine. I'd like to make another suggestion, though."  
He nodded, still worried, but she only said, "Use the toads to send messages. They're faster and more reliable than most people, even ninja, and they can be summoned back if necessary. Very fast communication is possible. That's how Jiraiya kept his information network so up-to-date."

He nodded, grinning that he wasn't going to be reprimanded, and turned back to Gaara, "Right, then. So... before winter, I have a bit of news for you and your brother and sister. And Matsuri too. Sakura and I... well... maybe Hinata and I... I'm getting married! It's going to be in the winter, if we can, before the war starts up again. So you should come, okay?"

Gaara smiled, this time it even reached his eyes. "We'll be there, my friend. Surely Suna can spare it's top ninja for a few days."

* * *

Sakura was about to make the first box-laden run back to her old apartment. She had one box under an arm and the other on her opposite shoulder, and had stepped out of the door when she felt the presence behind her. A presence she'd been avoiding for two days.

_Hinata... why did it have to be her, of all people, that showed up right before I was gone? I'm not ready for this._

"Sakura-chan," the other woman began, her voice unusually soft, but not as airy or hesitant as normal, either. "Why are you leaving?"

_Damn her and how perceptive her whole family is. But damn them all more for not knowing why._

"I can't stand between you and Naruto, and I won't. So I'm moving out. He's all yours. I'm... I'm sorry for the pain I caused you both, for the things you've had to endure because I let my own selfish feelings get in the way. I'm sorry for waiting so long, but it's over now. You can marry Naruto, bear his many children, and live in peace. I'll stay as far out of your lives as I can while still living in the village, so hopefully, one day... one day he'll be at peace about it."

"Sakura-chan, I don't want that. And neither does Naruto."

The other woman's voice was firm, but just as soft as before. Still... "Don't lie to me, Hinata. I may not have your eyes, but I've been around. He was... beside himself when he saw you awake and alive. He loves you more than he ever loved me. I'm just a... distant second. And I'm okay with that, I really am- as long as he's happy."

Sakura still hadn't turned to face Hinata, so the dark-haired woman put a gentle, small hand on the other's elbow and steered her around so that she could look at her face. "Sakura, Naruto wants to spend his life with you. And me, too. Do you understand? He wants _both_ of us, not one or the other."

"Don't talk nonsense, Hinata," Sakura said, her voice suddenly chilly, "Naruto may be a pervert, but he's not that bad. Besides, I don't think- no, I _know_, that I couldn't handle it. Seeing him with you all the time... it'd be just like what you went through seeing him with me. I'm not any stronger than you, Hinata. Maybe I'm weaker. So I'll just... go away and leave you alone. I'm sorry, but that's the way it has to be."

The Hyuga had no response to the other woman's harsh declaration, no way to convince her that she was _right_ about Naruto... only he would be able to do that. But even so..._would she stand for it? She's always been so outspoken against people with perverted tendencies... Master Jiraiya, Kakashi-sensei, Naruto... she's always reacted with disdain at best, violence at worst. So she would never put up with him... having both of us. And I can understand why, even if I don't feel the same way. So I guess... what it really boils down to is... she doesn't feel the same way about me. I guess... maybe... unless... she's just ashamed? Because I could have sworn, before Naruto came in that night in the hospital... and the words she said that woke me up... could it be? And she just doesn't want to admit it? Even to herself?_

But when the young heiress once again paid attention to her surroundings, the pink-haired woman was gone, her boxes with her. _Sakura... you said you wouldn't leave me any more._

* * *

"She's... she left again?" Naruto asked early the next morning. He and Tsunade had been in her office until almost sunrise the next day with Shikamaru, the Elders, and Gaara making plans. He had arrived at his home, half-carrying the old woman, but she had shrugged him off muttering something about a bath and sleep as soon as they'd come in the front door.

"Yes, Naruto..." Hinata said sadly. She'd told him the whole story- everything, about her eyes, her dreams, and her encounter with Sakura. To his credit, he hadn't seemed overjoyed at the prospect of having both women, but he hadn't exactly looked dismayed, either. Rather, he seemed to take it almost as a given, like it's what he'd been expecting all along. Until now, at least.  
"I... I don't know what to say. It's because of me that she left. I thought I'd be able to convince her to stay, but... she didn't listen to anything I said. Like her mind had already been made up.

The blond nodded, his eyes distant, as he fumbled with his tea. "She... promised me, after you and me broke up, that she'd never leave me again."  
Rising from her chair opposite him, Hinata rushed around the small table to crouch at his side, putting her arms around him and pulling his head into the crook of her neck, "Oh, Naruto... she hasn't left you for good. She's just scared, confused, and a little ashamed. She'll come around, I promise. We'll help her, you and I."

After a while long while, Naruto regained enough self-control to ask, "And what about you, Hinata? Those dreams you told me about. What do you think about them?"

She turned red, but didn't hesitate in her answer. "I can't deny they are... umm... erotic. Fascinating, even. I almost... forgive me, Naruto," she said, the words suddenly coming in a rush, "I almost... I almost gave in and... slept with another man, because of those dreams. They made me feel so... so..." He pulled her tighter against him and murmured into her hair, "I understand. Feelings like that are hard to control. I would have understood if you had given in... but I'm glad you didn't."

"I... they made me realize something. I've never really felt... normal... toward Sakura. At first, when we were younger, I was just so jealous of her. Because she got to spend time with you, be with you almost every day. But as we got older, I leaned what kind of girl- woman- she was, and I... started admiring her, too. It feels strange to say it, but... I think, in a way, I've always loved her too. I just... never realized until recently. Or never knew what kind of love, or maybe I just was an idiot and didn't see it until now, or... I don't know. But I _need_ her. And it's not just about s.. se... see..."

Naruto chuckled and pushed just enough apart to plant a kiss on her forehead, then pulled her back in, "You're so... kami, I love you. It's just a word though, Hinata. S. E. X. It happens all the time."

"I know, it's just... maybe I really am a prude. I just... I'm not really very comfortable with talking about stuff like that. I'm sorry."

"Heh, there's no need to apologize, Hinata. I kind of like it, how shy you are about some stuff still. But I like the things you aren't shy about anymore, too. It's just... part of who you are. Still... if it's not just about sex, then I guess it means you really do love her."

Hinata nodded, and murmured something that sounded like 'sorry' against his strong shoulder.

"Look," he said pulling her face up to look at his again, "Do I look mad? So I found out that one of the women I love also loves the other woman I love. Any man in his right mind would just... well... it's still not about the sex, at least not completely. Though I'm sure that'll be fun, when you're ready. It's... I can't explain it very well. But I feel so... so... I've never been so overjoyed in my life!" He crowed out the end, shouting it out to his almost-empty house, earning a yell from Tsunade upstairs to 'shut up, you', but didn't seem repentant at all.

"If... If Sakura were here, then... well, I really wouldn't be able to be happier. I'd explode with it. So... what's left?"

She shrugged, not sure what he was getting at, so he continued.

"We have to do two things. One, convince Sakura to come back. Shouldn't be too hard... ashamed, maybe, even shy... but if anyone in Konoha is truly a closet pervert, it's her. Why else would she fight against it so hard? And two... convince everyone else to let it go. That's gonna be the hard one, but... if your father is okay with it, how hard can it be to get everyone else to agree?"  
Almost relieved now, Hinata stood up, pulling Naruto with her. When she started heading for the stairs, he looked wistfully back at the remains of his breakfast, mostly uneaten, but Hinata scolded softly, "Plenty of time to eat my cooking later, love. For now... you need to sleep. Don't worry, I'll be here when you wake up. And then we have work to do."

"Oh... so just sleep, then? Not that I mind sleeping next to you, but..."

She grinned and blushed at the same time, but shook her head. "No... I think I'm ready now, but... I want Sakura to know, at least. Even if she doesn't want to be there."

Naruto nodded, not really understanding, but being understanding anyway, as they walked the last few steps into his bedroom. _It looks strange, without Sakura's stuff in here. But it won't be too much longer, I hope. And there's a big bed, room for all three... Hinata's clothes can go there, a space for her vanity there..._

By the time he had finished planning out the layout of their future bedroom, Hinata had already gotten him half undressed, down to his boxers, and pushed him into the bed, climbing in beside him. She put an arm over him, snuggling close, and whispered in his ear, "Love you, Naruto-kun. Sleep well."


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 21**

It was just like she'd never left. At least, for Naruto. Granted, Hinata wasn't cooking his breakfast for him in the tiny apartment he used to live in, and of course, there was the layer of sadness that Sakura wasn't there, that they'd lost so many of their finest shinobi because of the war, even lost some of their friends. The only other difference was the addition of Tsunade herself. The woman didn't say anything to either of them when she slouched into the kitchen to see that Hinata had set a place for her as well. She shot the kunoichi a look, but whatever she mumbled was unintelligible.  
"So, Obaa-chan," Naruto said when his food- three times what the other women were eating- was half gone, "how much of last night do you remember?"

"All of it, stupid boy. Just because I had a few drinks-"

"Granny Tsunade, you drank three bottles."

She rolled her eyes then winced in pain, grumbling about kharma, and replied, "Doesn't mean I was drunk. I'm a medic, remember? I kept myself at a very slight buzz. Too bad I can't get rid of the hangover, though. It's a killer. I just... don't have the chakra, anymore."

Without another word, Naruto held a hand across the table, "Take some of mine. I've got plenty."  
The old woman looked up at him finally, and didn't move for a moment. "Take... for a hangover? I've had worse, believe me."

He nodded, his face neutral, "Yeah, but I need to talk to you about something, and I think it'll help if you're feeling better. Take it, please."

Her eyes narrowed, and Hinata had to stifle a giggle._ She knows something's up, but doesn't know what. Naruto-kun has gotten good at hiding his emotions- most of the time._

At last, the woman reached out to take his hand and closed her eyes. When she withdrew it a few minutes later, her eyes opened fully, the brown color catching the light from the open window. "How do you feel? I didn't take too much, did I? It takes a lot to burn off that much toxin."

Naruto blinked. "I was about to ask when you were gonna get started. I didn't even feel it."

Hinata's eyebrows raised. _I knew he had a lot of chakra, but... I could feel the transfer across the table. How didn't he notice?_

"Hmph. Guess that stupid fox is about gone, then," the Hokage said, turning back to her food, "So you should have many times more chakra than you used to. You won't be able to rely on it for more, though, so once it's gone, it's gone."

Naruto nodded, but his mouth was once again full of food, and this time, he had the manners not to speak through it, so he said nothing.

"So... what did you want to talk to me about?" It was almost an hour later, and the sun was starting to dip down in the sky, almost visible in the west-facing kitchen window.

"I... I have a solution. I know what I'm going to do about Hinata and Sakura... at least, mostly."

Her brown eyes lifted to his, flickered to the woman next to him, and then returned to her tea. She took a sip before answering, "And?"

"I'm marrying both or neither."

Hinata gave a small gasp of surprise, but Tsunade didn't react at all.

In fact, the tea of all three cups of all three had been emptied- Naruto's twice- before she said anything at all. "You aren't going to let me change your mind, are you? You'll fight me till the day you die."

He nodded, but didn't say anything.

At last, Tsunade sighed. "There are some... loopholes, I suppose you could call them, that would allow you to marry both women. But... only you, and only because of your unique circumstances."

Hinata's eyes widened, but Naruto only nodded, sure that as much as she'd argued against it, the old woman would eventually give in.

"But before I say anything more, I need to know that it's what all three of you want. It's going to take a lot of work to pull this off. So... go find Sakura. The three of you meet me in my office... well, whenever. I'll make time. Aside from your team's training, Naruto, you are free from missions. Hinata, you as well. At least until this is resolved... or in the event of a surprise attack."

Overwhelmed, Hinata only sat at the table in silence as Naruto and Tsunade hashed out a few more details, together cleaning the mess from the cooking and consumption of the three's very late breakfast. Tsunade had long since left when Naruto put one hand on her head, mussing her hair gently, and said softly, "Are you ready to go?"

Lavender eyes turned up to him, still wide in awe. "Is there... anything you can't do?"

His face fell unexpectedly, but didn't stay that way for long. "I can't bring back the dead, I can't always bring back the lost... but other than that, doesn't seem like it. So, let's go find Sakura. Before she gets lost, okay?"

* * *

"These will do nicely, General Ryushin," the old man said.  
"Thank you, my Lord," the other replied, gesturing out to the field below the balcony the two were atop, "we have two hundred of these machines, each capable of making a hole in the Konoha Wall with every shot. They will not be able to withstand the barrage for more than a few minutes, and after that... the wall will be gone. Our plan is simple after that... we are more experienced in city fighting, and we outnumber them ten to one. Even with all of their allies against us, they have no hope."

The noble nodded once and said, "And the jinkurichi? And the ex?"

"We have a plan for their removal, as well. Research gathered from records and reports of their battles against the Akatsuki have revealed a number of weaknesses. Despite the damage that the Kazekage caused on his way through Iwagakure, the number of deaths was minimal- most of those ninja returned to active duty within a month. The damage to infrastructure was practically nonexistent. If our analysis is accurate, the infamous 'Gaara of the Desert' is now nothing more than a pacifistic lapdog of the Leaf. As for the Nine-Tails... well, he has always been easiest to attack through his emotions. Plans are already in place."

The richly-dressed man nodded once again and murmured, "See that it succeeds, General. We cannot fail if our grand plans are to succeed. The Leaf must fall by summer, and we haven't the time to wait any longer than that."

He then turned and walked away, not even bothering to notice the other man's low bow as he left the balcony.

* * *

"Excellent job, Tenchi," Inoko called out across the field. The woman had finally been able to conjure four perfect clones at once. "Just one more and we can start the next phase of our training!"

The bug-user blushed slightly, unused to being praised by her former rival, and gave a stiff bow in response.

"When did Inoko get so friendly with you, Tenchi?"

She looked over her shoulder at six versions of her teammate and boyfriend, smiling at each in turn. Without hesitation, she turned to the real one and pointed a finger, sending a single insect out to each of the clones, dispelling them with a touch. "Since she gave up on you, I guess. She doesn't pay much attention to you any more."

The young man couldn't hide his feelings about that very well, and Tenchi laughed to see his face fall. "What's the matter, Kamisori? I'm not good enough? You want the attention of both of us?"

He turned bright red and denied it vehemently, "No! That's not what I- I mean- You know I-"

"Relax, I was just teasing you," she said, covering her own laugh with a hand, "But really... I think she found someone else she likes more. That's all."

The teen watched his other female teammate for a little while longer as she practiced her taijutsu against her own mass of clones. _She sure has gotten strong. I used to be the best of us, but now, she could probably take me in a one-on-one. Tenchi too, and she was always better at it than me._

The three continued their training alone again, but this time they knew their sensei hadn't given up on them. Far from it, in fact, he was happier than ever to be working with them. He just had other things to do, and in all honesty, the three enjoyed helping each other as much as working with Naruto- he was more demanding.

* * *

"I found her," Hinata said, turning her Byakugan on Naruto, "She's in that tea shop, toward the back."

None of their friends had seen the pink-haired woman all day, so the two had resorted to scouring each street in the village one by one, Hinata using her Byakugan to check one side, Naruto using clones to search each building they passed.

The man stopped walking at once, forcing the woman he was with to backtrack a few steps to talk to him again. "Hinata... how should we do this?"

She gave him a quizzical look, so he elaborated, "Should I go in alone? Should you? Or both of us together? And if she leaves... what then?"

Hinata wasn't sure what the best course of action would be, either, but after a moment she offered, "Well... I don't want to do things without you and Sakura any more. So... I think we should do it together, and it... should all work out. Right?"

Naruto sighed. "I hope so. Well... we've waited long enough. Let's get it over with."

Haruno Sakura wasn't much of a drinker. She preferred being in control, of herself and those around her, and alcohol- especially the high-proof sake that her shishio favored- made her lose that control. But after the last couple of days, the woman hadn't been able to take it any more, and had finally sought to drown herself in forgetfulness.

So it was, that even in the quiet tea shop she had come to to help relieve her horrible hangover, the woman was totally distracted and didn't notice the two newcomers to the establishment until it was too late.

She didn't notice either, in fact, until they slid into the circular booth she occupied on opposite sides of her, preventing her easy escape. _Damn it... what kind of kunoichi am I, letting myself get cornered like... wait... N.. Naruto? Hinata?_

"What're... you two doing here?"

Hinata gave Naruto a glance, but he was only looking at Sakura, sadness and pity in his eyes. "Sakura-chan... we came to talk to you."

"I wish you wouldn't. Just lemme alone. I've done enough damage for one life time." The woman's words were still slightly slurred, and Naruto's sensitive nose picked up the scent of stale, but still potent enough, alcohol.

"Sakura, you've been drinking, haven't you?" He asked, concerned.

"So what if I have? Doesn't matter to you. Either of you. You want each other, and I won't get in the way. So just leave me alone, go be happy- with each other. Don't need a downer like me around, anyway."

This time, Naruto and Hinata had no problems making eye contact with each other. "She's worse than I thought," Naruto said quietly, then a little louder, "Come on, Sakura... we need to go see Tsunade."

"Don't wanna. She told me I didn't have any missions, and I have the weekend off, so... I'm gonna stay here."

"Come on, Sakura-chan," Naruto wheedled, "something's come up and we need you. We can't do it alone, we need your help."

"Go... go get someone else then. Don't you _get it_, Naruto?!" The woman was suddenly screaming, and the evening crowd at the tea house fell suddenly silent, all eyes either avoiding diligently or focused on the table where the pink-haired woman sat. "I don't want you to talk to me! You and Hinata can just _go away_ and leave me alone! So _get out of my life!_"

A pretty, young waitress hurried over to the table and said over Naruto's stammering, "Excuse me... is there something wrong? You are disturbing our guests."

Sakura responded first, spitting out, "Yes, there is. These two are harassing me, and I don't appreciate it. Maybe they should leave."

Before Naruto or Hinata could respond, the waitress made a clucking noise and said, "I think you're right. You were sitting here quietly until they came in, so it must be true. I'm sorry, I'm going to have to ask the two of you to leave."

The woman took a step back to let Hinata get out easier, and the kunoichi complied without a word. After she'd stood up, though, she slammed both hands onto the table and hissed in a venomous voice, "I can't believe I let myself believe you. Maybe I should have stayed locked up inside my own head, rather than trust in you."

The waitress, as well as most of the other customers, gasped in shock at the sudden fury in the slight woman's voice, but no one met her lavender eyes as she whirled around and stalked from the shop.

When Naruto's mouth had closed at last, Sakura was sobbing into her arms, her head on the table.

"Sakura... I know how she feels. You were there when I needed you, and you promised me you'd never leave me again. Was that a lie?"

She didn't answer, so after a long time, Naruto slowly slid out of the booth. "I didn't think something like this would make you break a promise, Sakura. Maybe you aren't as good a person as you act. But I think Hinata was right. You're just scared. Scared that no one will understand, that you'll be seen as a freak. And maybe you will, who knows. But I know one thing for sure. Hinata wants to try it anyway, and so do I. We think the risks are worth the reward. But if you're too scared... that's your choice. We won't force you. But if you agree with us, we'll be at the tower for the rest of the night. We have some things to talk about."

When he fell silent, the waitress tried again, "Sir, I think you should leave. I don't want to have to call security in, but..."

"Don't worry about it. I've said all I need to say," Naruto interrupted, then turned and left, muttering an apology to the crowd for disturbing their tea.

_He's right... I am scared. Of the pain, of having to know he's with her. Knowing he chose her over me, like he does every time. I was never anything but second-best. But what did Hinata mean? Locked up in her head... all I did was talk to her. And when she was having that seizure I kissed her. It was all I could think of. But... but... what's wrong with me?!_

_Of course I like her. She's been my friend for a long time. She's beautiful, smart, courageous, funny, cute in that shy, naïve way... even Ino likes her, and she's jealous of everyone thats even a little good-looking. But what are she and Naruto planning, anyway? _

_Then again, what difference does it make? They're still going to end up together, and I'll be alone watching one of my best friends and the man I love have a joyful, happy life together._

_Well, screw that._

_I'm staying away from both of them. They don't need my interference, and I don't need that kind of pain. I've had quite enough, thank you very much, kami._

_What the hell did he mean, anyway? Scared I'd be... seen as a freak? For what? I'm perfectly normal! If anyone's different, it's Naruto and Hinata. She's got that kekkei genkai, and he's a jinkur-_

The woman caught herself, but was already deathly ashamed at the thoughts she'd been thinking.

_Damn you, Sakura. They don't deserve that, neither of them do. They have been nothing but supportive and kind since she came back, and you've only driven them away. And now you're insulting them both? Calling their character into question? Shame on you! You know _damned well_ Naruto is _not_ that Fox! So how _dare_ you call him that!_

"I'll call him that if I want to. He's... he's..." the woman's words cut off, replaced by a fresh round of sobs.

_I am scared._

_I am weak.  
I am pathetic._

_I am not in control._

_I am everything a kunoichi should not be._

_I am nothing that a kunoichi should be._

_I am... not a good friend._

_I am not a good person._

_I am... Sakura._

_I am..._

_I..._

_I..._

_I am Haruno Sakura._

_I am a medical ninja of Konohagakure._

_I am the student of Tsunade, the Godaime and last of the Three Legendary Sennin._

_I am a woman._

_I am a woman in love with a man._

_I am a woman in love with... kami help me, another woman._

_I am... ashamed._

_I am so, so weak._

_I am so very scared._

_I am... ruining their happiness._

_I am abandoning the ones I cherish most when they need me more than ever._

_I am finished._

_I am done._

_I am not going to run any more._

_I am... going to the tower._

_I am going to see them._

_I am going to talk to them._

_I am... drunk. Still._

_I am... _who cares_? _

_I am going anyway!_

The woman stood so suddenly that her prodigious strength knocked the top of the table off of it's stand, sending it flipping end over end until it landed in the middle of the shop, narrowly missing the same waitress who'd tried to be helpful earlier.

"I'm... sorry about that. Here, that should cover it," the kunoichi said, throwing down a wad of bills from her pocket, "I apologize for the mess, and the disruption. I... I have to go!"

* * *

"I'm sorry, Naruto, I'm not going to even begin to discuss the possibility unless all three of you are in agreement on it, and that's final."

"Obaa-chan," Naruto said again, sighing with frustration, "I'm telling you, she _will_ come around. She just needs a little time. For all we know, she's on her way here right now- that'd be just like her."

Hinata said nothing, but dabbed at her moist eyes with an already-dripping handkerchief.

"Final is final, Naruto. Don't make me say it again."

He actually met Tsunade's dark brown eyes for a moment this time, and repeated himself, his voice calm but giving an unmistakable sense of unmoving truth, "She _will_ be here. She just needs to sort some things out."

Tsunade sighed and changed tacts, "Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure your own feelings and desires aren't getting in the way? I know how you feel. And I know about Hinata's feelings as well. But have either of you ever stopped to consider that maybe Sakura just _doesn't feel that way_?"

Only Hinata was able to hear the soft pounding of feet running up the almost-empty tower's stairs.

"I mean, come on, Naruto. You have to admit that you don't always stop to think how other people feel before you say or do things. Maybe this is one of those times."

Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but Hinata, smiling, was watching the door as it flung open to reveal a gasping Sakura.

"I'm... sorry... sorry I'm late. Got... held up. Traffic in my head's pretty snarled right now."


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 22**

The three of them sat together, finally, on the long couch in Tsunade's office. Naruto, of course, sat in the middle, one of the beautiful young women on either side. Hinata had one of his hands clutched tightly in both of her own, but Sakura didn't seem ready to allow herself to actually touch him. She was pushed up as far against the armrest as she could get, but Naruto didn't seem to notice.

"Fine... give me a minute to get a few papers sorted out of this mess, and we'll start talking."

Naruto grinned triumphantly, while Hinata whispered behind his head, "Sakura... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say something so cruel, I just... it hurt. I was stupid, and I'm sorry."

Sakura gave just the tiniest of nods, but didn't look over at the other woman or Naruto. Her eyes were fixed intently on a blank spot of the far wall.

"Ah, here we are," Tsunade said, plucking an old scroll from the pile on her cluttered desk and standing up. She stretched her back, arching it as well, her ample bosom pushing against her robes so hard they almost burst, then relaxed with a sigh.

She slowly walked around to the front of the desk, pulling the most comfortable chair with one hand to sit herself before the three.

"So... yes, as I said earlier to Naruto, there _is_ a loophole that may- _may_ I emphasize- allow Naruto to marry both of you at the same time."

Hinata gasped, a slow smile spreading across her face, but Sakura did a double take, not even sure if this was really happening. Naruto, smiling himself, reached out his other hand to take hold of Sakura's, and she was so shocked that she didn't even seem to notice.

"Ahem. Like I said... there is a way. Maybe. It depends on a lot of things, but legally, it's possible. Whether or not the priests will allow it, or the Elders for that matter... hell, they might take it up with Lord Hoshi himself."

Naruto interrupted, his voice practically quivering with excitement, "Heh, he likes me. I dare 'em to fight it that far!"

Tsunade rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm, but continued in a stately fashion, "As I was _saying_, there may well be some opposition to this. Lots of it, in fact. Hell, even I'm opposed. But it's my duty to keep my shinobi happy, so..."

"Come on, Granny Tsunade," Naruto burst out suddenly, "Out with it! How long are you gonna keep us in suspense?!"

Sakura elbowed him in the ribs, and Tsunade had the stray thought,_ For being so opposed to the idea, she sure does seem eager to hear about it_.

"One of these days, Naruto, you're going to be _really_ old, and have lots of squabbling, impatient grandkids to deal with. I hope to Kami that wherever I end up after I die, I can still see it. Because that will be the _only_ thing that makes your own damned impatience worth while." Tsunade's voice was even, her expression deadpan, but even Naruto saw the humor in her eyes.

"Anyway... the loophole is actually pretty simple. Naruto, as you're all aware now, uses his mother's family's name of Uzumaki. But his father's name is Minato. Normally, the child keeps their father's name until the day they either marry or die. However, because of the unique nature of Naruto's past- for instance, every single mention of him in the village's logs- medical, historical, geneological, all of it- is under the Uzumaki name, that _is_, for all intents and purposes, his real name. However, those of us that know the whole story know that he is really Namikaze Naruto."

All three of the younger ninja were listening intently, but none had yet caught on to what the Hokage was saying. "It's simple, like I said. One of you gets married to Uzumaki Naruto, and the other gets married to Namikaze Naruto."

The silence in the office was deafening.

Hinata was the first to speak, her voice so quiet- far quieter than even her usual- that Sakura, four feet away, had to strain to hear it, "It's... so simple. And we can both be with Naruto."

Tsunade nodded sedately, watching as the three of them exchanged rounds of amazed, happy looks. Even Sakura looked pleased, though still terrified of what that might mean.

"Shishio..." she said after a little while, "what about the law? Isn't there a law that prevents someone from having more than one wife?"

Tsunade shrugged and said, "Sort of. But they all require the name on the marriage certificate to be the same. In Naruto's case... well... it's a work-around, and like I said, a lot of people will oppose it. But legally, it's... not even really a gray area, it's just not covered. So unless the Lord of Fire or the next Hokage makes it illegal," all four of them chuckled, "I don't see it being a problem for you. Mind you, I wouldn't want just anyone doing this. It's going to make your lives hard. It'll strain your friendships, with each other and your other friends, as well. The only thing that might make it really easier than a normal marriage is the convenience of almost always having a babysitter handy."

Sakura gulped three times in quick succession, a sure sign to Tsunade that what she was going to say next was extremely difficult for her, but that she was determined to say it anyway, "Shishio- what about- about... umm... s... le... uh... sleeping... arrangements?"

The old woman shrugged, pretending not to notice the sudden blush on each of the younger people. "That'd be up to you if you decide to go through with it. If you're married, it's really not any of my business. And since you're all adults, it isn't anyway unless it's creating problems in your ability to do missions."

"So... any other questions? Arguments...? Does anyone not want to go through with it?"

No one said anything for a long while. In the end, though, Sakura voiced a question that all three of the youngsters were thinking of, but no one wanted to say, "Shishio, what happens if we... if it doesn't work out? What would we do?"

Tsunade sighed before answering, "Divorce? I'd assume it wouldn't be a problem. Just make sure you're divorcing the right name. But please- for my sake- think long and hard about whether you truly want this before you agree to it. I don't want to have any of you go through that."

Little else was said throughout the next while, a few minor questions being asked and answered, but when the hour grew late, and Hinata had started to yawn, Naruto stood slowly, pulling the two women with him. "Oba- Lady Tsunade-"

"Naruto... call me Obaa-chan, or Granny Tsunade, please."

He smiled warmly, giving her a little bow, "Obaa-chan, thank you. For everything."

"Yare, yare... get out of here, before I change my mind."

* * *

When the three of them arrived at their now-shared home, there was a long moment of awkwardness. "Umm... so... uh... who is... umm... staying with Naruto tonight?" Sakura asked, her face turning pink even in the moonlight.

Hinata looked over at her like she'd grown an extra arm, "Both of us. Sakura... don't you understand?"

The woman shook her head, and with a sigh, Naruto opened the door and pushed them both inside. "Sakura, Hinata... I'm going to go take a nice, long, cold shower while you... uh... talk. Do you want me to cook dinner?"

Hinata's eyes rolled at her fiancee's innuendo, but Sakura didn't seem to catch it. "Ano... maybe a little something. I'm not very hungry. You, Sakura?"

"Oh... no. Maybe just a sandwich or... well, I was going to say tea, but I've had enough for that for a month or two."

Naruto and Hinata laughed, the man leaving them to enter their bedroom for a towel and change of clothes.

"Hinata... why... I don't think I can handle watching you with Naruto. It's going to be hard enough just-"

The woman's quiet objection was cut off by Hinata's lips on her own, the shorter, dark-haired kunoichi's arms snaking around her neck, tangling her hands in her hair. Sakura's body was stiff, unyielding, so Hinata didn't press the issue. But when she separated their lips at last, she asked, looking up into the other's emerald eyes, "Do you understand?"

"No, I don't," Sakura said, her voice somewhere between terribly confused, and angry, defensive.

Hinata gave a wistful smile and replied, "I don't just love Naruto. I love you, too. I have for a long time... I just didn't realize it until I'd left. Or until you showed me you loved me too."

"I didn't- I've never-"

Hinata gave another little smile, this one amused, and pulled Sakura down onto the couch, sitting facing her, "Sakura-chan, I remember. The things you said to me when I was in my head. I heard it all."

The continued to talk, while the other woman's face turned crimson yet again, and the two heard the shower down the hall turn on, "I remember that first kiss... not the CPR, but when you really kissed me. I remember kissing you back, and how wonderful it was... just like it is with Naruto. I could _feel_ your love. Was that a lie?"

Sakura didn't answer directly, instead she looked away and said, "That was... a mistake. It's not normal, not natural. Women shouldn't do that with other women."

In response, Hinata leaned forward and kissed her again, this time gently pushing her back with her lips until she was half over her, Sakura reclined back against the armrest. And this time, the other woman participated, eagerly, willingly. Their tongues clashed gently, caressed each other violently, and this time, when Hinata let up on the other woman, both were breathing heavily.

"If that's not right," Hinata said, "then how come you liked it so much?"

"What are you talking about? I didn't-"

Hinata's gaze drew Sakura's attention down to her chest, where, through her bra and loose shirt, there were two nubs quite visible on her breasts. "I don't get you, Sakura," Hinata said, sitting back and folding her hands together, "You're so strong and brave, someone I've always looked up to, but you're so scared of me. I'm the coward, remember? Too scared to even talk to Naruto? So... why are you so afraid of this? Of me? Of what I can _see_ that you feel?"

Naruto was, indeed, taking a long shower. Hinata counted the quiet _tick, tock_ of the wall clock as the minutes went by.

When at last Sakura answered, her voice was almost as quiet as the timepiece's, "I'm afraid that once people see the real me... that they'll judge me, just like I judged them for all these years."

Hinata nodded, reaching out one hand to place it on Sakura's, "I understand, a little. But don't you know? Naruto and I... we both _love_ you. And love is many things... but judgmental isn't one of them."

"I... I know. I'm just..."

Hinata smiled sadly again, pulling the other woman up, "Do you need to shower before bed?"

The change of subject gave Sakura much-needed relief from the difficulty of their earlier conversation, and the woman took the chance eagerly. "Probably... I haven't in a couple of days, and I probably smell like sake."

Hinata giggled out, "I haven't noticed. All I smelled was Sakura. Use some of Naruto's towels. I think I'll use the last bathroom myself. I'm very tired, but... I don't want to make you two sick with my own stink, either."

Sakura laughed, truly laughed, for the first time that evening, "Hinata... you don't stink. You smile like lilacs and hyacinth."

The woman smiled, but followed Sakura into their bedroom to fetch towels without replying.

* * *

True to his word, Naruto had taken a long, cold shower- not that it'd done him any good. He hadn't been lying when he'd said that it wasn't just about the sex- but, as he told himself, _What man in their right mind _wouldn't_ jump at the chance to sleep with two gorgeous women? And not just sleep- _not _sleep, too!_

It was hard- no, impossible- to control his arousal, even with the ice-cold water pouring over him. After what seemed to him like an eternity of trying to control his thoughts and let his arousal subside only to look down and see it throbbing as hard as ever, with a groan he brought his hand up and began to stroke himself rapidly. _Maybe if I can come fast enough, I'll be recovered before they start in on me- maybe._ The thought of the two women 'starting in on him' was maddening, and yet so erotic that he couldn't stop himself from following the thought process all the way to it's conclusion- which left him with a mess on the shower wall he had to clean up. _If they knew I was doing that when they're both in the same house- about to spend the night with me-_

And so he waited, washing himself completely for the fourth time, and his manhood was already twitching with arousal at the thought of the two women before he finally stepped out of the shower.

* * *

Sakura took her time, as well, grateful that there seemed to be an abundance of hot water. _Kami, this feels so good... I should take a shower with Hinata. If it's anything like with Naruto..._ she giggled at the images the thought conjured, then blushed furiously. _Damn it! I shouldn't be having- but... she said she loves me too. And I can't deny she... has a certain appeal. Oh, to hell with it. Yes, I love her too! But... can I handle that? Am I strong enough to see the two I love and cherish the most with... each other, not me? Or even with each other... _and_ me?_

When she finally stepped out and toweled herself dry, she blow-dried her hair, grateful that the bathroom she was in actually had one in the linen cupboard, and wrapped a large, fluffy white towel securely around herself.

She stepped cautiously from the bathroom, watchful for any sign of Tsunade, who stayed here as often as not, now, or worse, any sign that either or both of her 'room mates' would ambush her and do unspeakable, horrible, nasty, corrupt things to her. _Or wishing, anyway._

But she was unaccosted by the time she'd crossed the house and reached their shared bedroom door. It was ajar, and she pushed it open carefully, wary that this was their last chance to catch her by surprise.

Which they did, though not how she'd expected.

"Sssh, Sakura-chan. Naruto-kun's asleep already," Hinata whispered quietly, gesturing for the woman to come in and shut the door. "He fell asleep about two minutes after he laid down. He's only wearing a towel- just like you."

The sight almost made Sakura weep. On the one hand, it was strange, uncomfortable, and more than a little frightening to see her fiancee, clad only in a too-small towel, laying on his stomach diagonally across the large bed, with another woman- whom she had also now admitted she was in love with- curled up next to him, naked, playing with his hair.

"Hinata... have you ever... slept with Naruto?" Sakura asked suddenly, blushing at her own lack of tact.

But this time, for once, the other woman didn't blush or stammer herself. She shook her head slowly, still smiling, and said, "Not with anyone. I was going to wait until we were married- and I think I want to still."

Sakura nodded, and took a single step toward the bed, then stopped herself. "You know... that..."

Hinata looked up from Naruto's hair at once, looking deep into Sakura's eyes, "That you and he have had sex many times? Yes, I know. It's all over your body language with each other. It changed a lot the first couple of times, I'm sure. When I came back... it was almost like I had to relearn you two completely."

"And... and that doesn't... it doesn't bother you?" Sakura asked, terrified now of her answer.

But the indigo-haired woman only gave a half-shrug and turned her eyes back to Naruto for a moment, and then returned them to Sakura before saying, "Not even a little. It is what it is. You were Naruto's first, he will be mine... and we will be each other's. It is what it is."

More relieved than she could express with words, Sakura covered the rest of the distance across the room to the huge bed at once, leaning over Naruto, uncaring if she woke him up, to kiss the other woman yet again.

When she pulled back, both were smiling.

Hinata said, her voice still quiet, and amazingly soothing, "Come to bed, Sakura-chan. We've had a long day, and I'm sure you are just as tired as I am."

The pink-haired woman hesitated for just a moment, thought, _fair's fair,_ and dropped the towel from around her.

Hinata's sharp intake of breath caught Sakura by surprise. But when she looked at her, she found the other's lavender eyes riveted on her form, raking her up and down. She then noticed that Hinata's breath had stilled, then quickened rapidly, coming in short, shallow breaths.

"I'm... is there something wrong, Hinata?"

The other jumped as if she'd been startled, and said breathlessly, "No, I... I just had no idea how awe-inspiringly _beautiful_ you are, Sakura-chan."

_How had the shy little mouse changed so much that she can say things like that without batting an eye, but outspoken, loudmouth me turns into a radish at the thought?_

"Come on, come lay down. It's getting cold with only Naruto to keep me warm."


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 23**

Naruto couldn't believe his luck. He'd woken that morning with the thought that the events of last night had been a dream- a wonderful, haunting, dream. But when he'd fully awakened, he realized that, in fact, he _was_ laying naked in a bed with two beautiful women that he loved. They were also, as far as he could tell with closed eyes, naked. _Sakura on my left. Is that... Hinata-chan? She's so soft... not as hard and toned as Sakura is._

The breathing of both women was slow and regular, their bodies warm as they pressed against his. _No clothes... maybe it wasn't a dream? But I can't remember it real well... just flopping onto the bed after my shower. Hinata came in... but then... did it really happen? I'll have to play it cool, see if I can figure it out before I get in trouble. They'll never forgive me if I guess wrong._

As pleasant as it felt to lie there with the women draped over him, Naruto's stomach gave a loud grumble, and he sighed at it in annoyance. _Can't you just... shut up for a few hours?_

When it grumbled again just a couple of minutes later, Naruto scowled. Still wearing the unhappy expression, he carefully disentangled himself from the other two and slipped out of the bed, grateful that he'd spent extra to get that new foam mattress that didn't transfer a lot of motion.

He turned at the door when he'd heard a slight rustle behind him, afraid he'd woken one of them anyway, but both of the girls were still sound asleep.

Sakura had shifted, moving closer to the other woman. Her face was buried in the cavity between Hinata's ample-_ Wow, she's pretty big! I don't remember her being that big before! _-breasts and chin, with a goofy grin on her face. She mumbled something in her sleep, but he was too far away to hear it clearly. With a long, slow, languid movement, Hinata's arm slid across and up Sakura's stomach, around her slender waist, and up her back to pull her a little closer.

_Damn... that's hot. I'd better get breakfast made before I watch any more, or..._

But it was too later. He could already feel his dick pounding. He looked down with a grimace, then tiptoed over to the dresser to pull out his last clean towel, _did they use them all?_ And a pair of pajama bottoms. Anything to protect him in case Tsunade had come in during the night. _I don't care so much if those two see it, I can just tell them I was thinking about them, but... _

The thought of the old woman- as gorgeous as she looked most of the time- who he considered his grandmother seeing his naked arousal was terrifying.

He had finished with the steak, potatoes, and eggs before he heard any signs that someone else in the house might be waking up. He set the dishes on the table and the food as well, making sure to leave the lids on and hot pads under each dish- it wouldn't do to burn the table when it was so new- then crept down the hall toward their bedroom again.

_Oh, I did not just see that. Oh, yes I _did!

Hinata was kissing Sakura with passion, her tongue clearly visible inside the other woman's mouth. Sakura was stiff, but while Naruto watched, she relaxed and started to get into it herself. After a few seconds, she froze again and pulled away, and Hinata said softly, "Morning, sleepy head. Morning, Naruto."

_She... saw me? Aww, shit._

"Uh... hi, Hinata, Sakura. I've got... uh... breakfast ready, if you're hungry... I'll leave you alone to get dressed, so..."

"No, come in," Sakura said, her voice a little dry, "Nothing you haven't seen before."

Hinata blushed and said in a near-whisper, "Actually... I've never been totally naked in front of..."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she blushed to join the other woman for a moment, "Oh... sorry, I forgot. Well... it's your call then."

Hinata smiled and said quickly, "Oh, he can come in. He will see sooner or later anyway, right, Naruto?"

Grinning, blushing madly himself, the man walked into the room. _Oh kami, they'll see it right away. Damn that hard-on! Hasn't gone away since I woke up, and now if anything it's _worse_!_

"Mm... looks like breakfast isn't the _only_ thing that's ready," Sakura said, batting her eyelids at him playfully.

She looked almost eager- it had been a long time for her- and Naruto as well, if Hinata was telling the truth. And she had no reason to lie. But Hinata looked almost scared, as excited as the hunger in her eyes was when Naruto looked up at her. "Not now... sorry, Sakura, Hinata, I really do want to, but... don't have time. I have to meet with my team, at least for a few hours."

"But-" Sakura began, but Hinata interrupted.

"Oh... I'm... well, I have the day off. You, Sakura?"

The pink-haired one hesitated a moment then said, "I suppose I should make an appearance at the hospital, just to get my schedule... but I was told I have the day off, too. Don't you, Naruto?"

He rubbed the back of his head as he headed for the large dresser again, "Yeah, but still, I didn't meet with them yesterday 'cause I was asleep all day, so... I really should today. It's just for a few hours, five tops. Then I'll come home, okay?"

Hinata mumbled something that made Sakura giggle furiously, but he hadn't heard it. The two women watching him change made him feel- well, uncomfortable wasn't really the word, but _uneasy_ seemed to fit pretty well. _I like the attention. I just... damn, I hope they enjoy watching me as much as I enjoy watching them._

When he turned around, fully dressed in a relaxed, black taijutsu outfit similar to- but less form-hugging than- the ones Gai-sensei and his younger clones wore, neither woman had moved. Both were watching him still, smiling, occasionally turning to share a glance with each other.

"Come on, you perverts," he said, hoping to lighten the mood a little but failing, "let's eat. I gotta get moving- the sooner I leave, the sooner I can come back."

Breakfast itself was a quiet affair. All three of them seemed at a loss for anything to say. Any hope Naruto had held that he'd find out exactly _what_ had happened last night was dashed, because he'd be damned if he brought it up himself, and the women were both being surprisingly tight-lipped. _And oh, those lips..._

Somewhere between his third and fourth plate, Naruto paused for a moment to take a good long look at each of them. _Sakura's are full and pink, almost the same shade as her hair. But with a little bit of lipstick, they turn that amazing red color. Not too dark, not too thick, but like a pale red rose. They're soft, but firm too- just like the rest of her. And they can move so... ugh... they are very expressive. She can do lots of little things with them._

_Hinata... hers are thicker, warmer, and softer... like miniature pillows. A bit pale, you almost can't call them pink, but I've seen her with a little lipstick and it's gorgeous. Makes you want to bite them, it's so... ugh. _Stop_ it already! This erection's never gonna go away at at this rate!_

He ate the rest of that plate in silence, his head hanging, unseeing of the worried glances the two women were now sending back and forth. When he rose and said, "Okay, gonna take a quick shower then head out. Would either of you mind doing some laundry? All my towels got used last night, and..."

He trailed off, and left the room with a distinctly awkward walk.

"That looks really uncomfortable," Hinata said in a whisper, and Sakura nodded.

"Yeah... he told me it actually hurts sometimes, if it won't go away for too long. That's probably why he's walking funny."

Hinata hesitated a moment before saying, "Should we... go help him? If he goes outside like that, people will... well..."

Sakura grinned wickedly at the thought, but replied, "Yeah... but only one of us. If we both go, he won't make it to his meeting for days, I think," still grinning.

Hinata turned a little pink, but only said, "So... umm... should you, or I?"

The pink-haired one turned to face her directly and said softly, "I will if you want me to. I can't deny I'm feeling a little... well.. you know. But I think it'd help you get over your shyness a bit more if you went. But the decision is yours."

Hinata turned her head and eyes to alternatively look down the hall toward the bathroom door and look at Sakura. After a while, her eyes grew firm and she stood up, nodding quickly, "I'll do it. But umm... does it... hurt?"

The other woman nodded and said softly, "Yes, but... there are other things you can do. You don't have to have sex with him, there's lots of ways to make it go away."

Both blushing furiously, Sakura gave Hinata a quick run-down of things you can do to help someone with an erection- ignoring it and pretending you don't notice (which is used a lot around teenage boys), a hand-job, and a blow-job, and...

But by the time she'd covered the basics of each, Hinata had turned so red that she couldn't take any more. She was on the verge of fainting again, but Sakura broke her out of it the fastest way she could- by putting her mind on something else.

When their lips parted again, Sakura whispered, "It does feel a little awkward at first, but... the first time he groans, for me at least, that all goes away. It feels really good to know you can bring him pleasure. So don't be too nervous, okay?"

Hinata nodded once, stood again, and without stopping to give herself time to think any more, stepped firmly into the bathroom as well, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

Naruto was still in the shower, and she could tell that the water was cold because there was no steam coming out. _He hates cold showers. So why... oh. Poor boy._

All thought of hesitation fled her mind, though she was still nervous. If it would help Naruto out in the slightest way, she would walk gladly into hell and back. So what was this?

As only a ninja could be, she stealthily undressed, and when she was naked, put her long, dark hair up in a bun, pinning it with the barrette she normally used with it long. _Hope it holds._ Slowly, knowing he wouldn't see it anyway- because she could see his shape through the curtain and knew he was facing the other way- she reached past the curtain and turned the hot water up, twitching the cold down. _Hope it doesn't burn him-_

When he turned to see what had happened, she used that opportunity to step into the shower as well. The rustle of the soft curtain was drowned out by the rush of water, so he didn't notice she was there until he turned back around, his expression puzzled. And then he almost yelled, she'd startled him so badly. "Hee hee... Naruto-kun, you are so horrible at sensing presences," she giggled, stepping into him.

"Hi- Hinata, what-"

"Sssh, Naruto," she said, placing her mouth on his, "I'm just helping you out. It wouldn't do any good for anyone if you went out so- distracted," glancing down at the narrow space between them.

"I... I was just gonna-"

She grinned, knowing exactly what he'd been about to say, and whispered, "Were you going to think about me and Sakura while you did?"

Red in the face already, and not just because of the showers' heat, he nodded, scared of her reaction. Hinata only blushed slightly more herself, and replied, "I wouldn't mind... but right now you're in a hurry, right? So I think maybe I'll do something to help you."

He gulped and muttered, "If you aren't ready, you-"

She giggled softly, and said, "I'm ready... but we don't have time for that. So close your eyes..."

He complied, gulping again, and she pulled away. He didn't move while she got on her knees, taking a long, hard look at him. _That's never going to fit all the way. But if what Sakura said is right, I won't have to. Just... open. Insert. Close. Inhale a bit. Use hand to... oh Kami, I can't believe I'm doing this._

She had done each step as she'd thought it, and if she stopped to think about it, she would have noticed that the feel of his hard cock in her mouth was strange, yes, but exhilarating all the same. The gentle curve made him push up against the top of her mouth, so she rose a little bit to take him further in, careful to keep her lips past her teeth so she wouldn't bite him.

He moaned almost at once as she started to move, and Hinata grinned inwardly, _You were right, Sakura. It's not strange at all after that._

Naruto could only think one thing. _Where did she learn to do this?_ He had never- after the first time- tried to convince Hinata to do anything more than a little light petting, through clothes. She had been determined to wait for their eventual wedding, and he had respected that. He was also certain she hadn't lied when she said she'd never had sex with anyone else. But had she...? No, that was crazy. But still... she felt so good.

"Hinata... that's... wow, you're soo good at that. Just a bit more..."

She grinned inwardly again, and sped her movements up a little. She was unwilling to look upward into the spray, but she could feel his eyes on her bobbing head anyway.

"Hinata... you... know what happens when I finish, right?"

She grunted a little affirmative, not taking him out of her mouth, so he continued, "I'm gonna... you should be ready, or take it out so I can turn, or something. It's gonna be pretty soon."

She grunted again, this time lower, and the vibration in her throat hit Naruto's sensitive head, driving him over the edge.

His hands landed on her head and he thrust forward once, twice, each time catching the kunoichi by surprise. She almost gagged each time, but the third caught her totally by surprise, and he'd withdrawn before she had a chance to gag again.

Naruto suddenly stopped, worried, when her hand fell off his buttocks. She looked up at him at last, wonder and excitement, not fear or anger, in her pale eyes. "Naruto-kun... did you like that?"

He nodded, ashamed and sheepish, but she smiled anyway, "Does... does my throat feel good?"

He nodded again, unwilling now to meet her eyes.

But this time, when she took him back in her mouth, she didn't stop there. It was difficult at first to control her gag reflex as his thick shaft slid past her uvula and tonsils, more so when it hit the back of her throat, but Naruto's loud moan only drove her to try harder. She relaxed as far as she could go, feeling the thick member stretch and bend her throat as it slid inward.

The first of his thick, golden pubic hairs tickled her nose, but she pressed on anyway, determined now to take him all in.

"Oh, _Kami_ Hinata!" he grunted, trembling with the desire to thrust forward into her mouth again, and the will to hold back for her sake.

When the woman's lips at last met the base of his erection, she smiled deeply, humming in contentment. The vibration all along her throat made Naruto jerk in ecstasy, and this time he couldn't help but thrust, pushing Hinata's head back. _He likes that._

She began to bob her head again slightly, not pulling him out far enough to cause her gag reflex to kick in, and hummed again. His jerk this time was stronger, and he moaned, "Hinata... I'm... I'm there..."

The third hum was long, low, and she didn't stop moving her head back and forth until his loud moans subsided. She could feel the warmth of his seed as it slid down her throat and into her stomach, but hadn't tasted any of it. She swallowed a few times, milking his shaft and making him shudder again, and almost whimpered with sadness when he pulled his long length out of her.

"Hinata... that was..."

"Mmm... fun. I want to do it again, Naruto," she said, reaching up sensually to wipe a thin line of white goo from her lips and putting it in her mouth. Her eyes widened a little and she murmured, "Salty. It tastes good, though. Like you."

Embarrassed, he gave a weak smile and said, "You almost passed out. Your lips are purple... did you even try to breath?

She shook her head and replied, "I was getting a little dizzy, but I didn't want to stop until I had to. You looked like you were enjoying it, so..."

His arms flew underneath her armpits and lifted her to stand before him, then crushed her chest into his, "I loved it, Hinata. It was... amazing. Sakura's never been able to do that, and it felt... _wow_."

She smiled against his chest and said, "Sakura-chan can't take you all?"

"Nope. She said I'm just too big, and she can't stop gagging. That's why I stopped after I heard you do it, I was afraid..."

Hinata, smiling still, looked up at him, wanting to kiss him, but afraid he wouldn't want to after where her mouth had been. But all hesitancy was swept aside when he leaned down to her, his mouth open and tongue eager. Hinata's nipples hardened further against his chest at the feeling of his tongue searching the depths of her mouth and she pressed herself against him, feeling his still semi-hard manhood against her smooth stomach.  
Suddenly he paused and separated their lips, an odd look on his face.

"Naruto-kun?" she asked, but he took a moment to respond.

Looking down, he stuck a finger in his mouth and pulled it out, smacking his lips with the expression turning distasteful. As soon as she'd realized exactly what was wrong and drew in a breath to say she was sorry, he shrugged as if it didn't matter, then kissed her again.

"N... Naruto-kun," she said when he came up for air the next time, "You need to get going, or you'll..."

He stopped at once. "Yeah... sorry about that. It's just... you're so great, Hinata, you make me... well, you know."

She nodded, understanding exactly what he'd been about to say. _You make me want to stay with you forever, to forget the whole world, too, Naruto._

* * *

He didn't see Sakura when he left the bathroom. Hinata had said she wanted to shower as well, so would stay in. He dressed in the clothes he'd gotten out earlier and left the house in a rush, knowing he was already late.

* * *

Sakura had taken a few minutes to finish her tea after Hinata had entered the bathroom, doing her best to keep her mind off what was going on in there. _Naruto and Hinata. Hinata and Naruto. I can... I can do this. They are in love, and I can stand to know they're... doing stuff. It's all right. Really._

It didn't ever occur to the woman that what she was having a hard time with wasn't so much seeing them, knowing they were 'together', but that she was left out.

With a huff, she threw on some clothes and left the house for her own apartment in a hurry.

* * *

When Hinata stepped out of the bathroom at last, the only clean towel around her waist, (it wasn't big enough to cover her completely) she was surprised to see eight boxes, each neatly labeled with Sakura's handwriting, in the kitchen, but the woman herself not there. _I'm glad she still wants to... be with us. I'm glad she's not upset._

When Hinata stepped into the bedroom, though, she found Sakura _far_ from upset. The kunoichi's tall, lithe and muscular form was stretched out on her back on the bed, her legs spread. One hand was kneading her left breast, the other was rubbing the patch of short, pink hair between her legs.

Hinata moved backwards at once, her breath catching in her throat. _Kami, she didn't see me. Is she... really doing what I think she's doing?_

"Hinata, come in, please," Sakura said in a half-moan.

The woman complied after a moment, her face as red as a beet, but Sakura only said, "I feel... I'm sorry, but I couldn't stop thinking of you... in there, with him, and I... I'm so dirty, so nasty. I understand if you don't want..."

Hinata's eyes didn't waver, she didn't blink as she stepped toward the other woman, stopping only when she was between Sakura's legs. Her hands hadn't stopped moving, twisting each nipple in turn and rubbing against her sex.

"Sakura... do you know what Naruto said to me when we decided we both wanted you to be with us?"

She shook her head, but still her hands didn't stop.

"He said that, if there ever was a closet pervert in Konoha, it was you."

That made her hands stop, and her head suddenly lifted to glare at Hinata. But before she said anything, with a sigh, she let her head drop back to the bed then curled up, rolling onto her side in a fetal position.

"It's... true. Kami help me, I'm so..."

Hinata, feeling uncharacteristically assertive, reached out a hand to push the woman back onto her back, and hold her there, the other gently but with strength Sakura didn't know she possessed in her slight body straightening her legs, putting them back where they had been.

Tears leaked out of the kunoichi's eyes, hot tears of shame and anguish.

"Sakura-chan," Hinata said, her voice low and strong, "you are beautiful. You are everything that Naruto and I both want. Yes, you are a closet pervert. But I don't know if you noticed... Naruto and I are, too. I like it. No, I love it. So... don't be sad, okay? I hate it when you're unhappy."

Sakura was about to reply, but the feeling of Hinata laying her soft, well-padded form over her own thin and muscular one was intoxicating, and it drove all other thought from her mind.

Their breasts were pressed together, Sakura's sex resting just below Hinata's, but the smaller woman made no move to excite either of them. "Sakura-chan... we _love_ you. It doesn't matter to us if you think of us and get... excited. In fact, I kind of like it. If I hadn't already had an... orgasm... today, I'd have probably... just from this, from seeing you."

Sakura paled a little, and asked, her voice trembling, "Did you- did you-"

Hinata giggled softly, rolling off of Sakura to lay beside her, but keeping one arm around her, "No. But when he went down my throat, it was so... so..._ kami_, it was the hottest thing I've ever imagined!"

"You... took him down your throat?" Sakura asked, shocked, "_All_ of him?"

Hinata nodded, now blushing herself, and Sakura gasped out, "Wow. I can't do that. And that was your first time doing it?"

The dark-haired woman nodded again and said, "It was kind of an accident at first. He jerked forward, and I wasn't ready, but... after I realized I just had to relax, it wasn't so bad. I hummed 'cause it was so... well... like I said, I had an orgasm, and that made him go crazy, so..."

Sakura's eyes were wide, and Hinata, even without her Byakugan activated, could see her hands trembling with the urge to touch herself again.

"Sakura-chan, please... do it. I want to... watch you."

Nervously, her brilliant green eyes flickering back and forth between her own hands and Hinata's eyes, she began to move. "Hinata... do you want me to..."

"No," she shook her head gently, "Not yet. I want Naruto to be here for that. And I want my first... to be with him. I'm sorry. But I really do want to watch."

Sakura gave a faint nod and said, "Are you... can I watch you, too?"

She nodded herself, and said softly, "I'm sure I'll be going at it myself before you're done. I don't mind if you watch."

Still a bit hesitant, Sakura's hands resumed their previous play, slowly at first. _She uses her left hand on her... and I use my right. She's so... pink. And not just her hair. I'm darker, more brown. But her insides are even more pink than her hair._

Hinata watched, mesmerized, as the woman continued to pet her mound, eventually sliding fingers down each fold and gently pulling them apart, relaxing, and repeating it. She skimmed over the almost-bare mound of her clit, making sure not to touch it directly. _She must be sensitive... she's small, so I can understand that. Mine is bigger, and it still hurts if I'm not careful._

Eventually, her breathing quick now, Sakura slid one finger along the swollen lips of her vagina to lubricate it, and then slid it inside.

Hinata didn't bother to control the urge to do the same, she was already wet from earlier, added too now by watching the stunning woman beside her get herself off, and the sheer naughtiness of it all. The two inserted a second finger simultaneously, each watching the other with wide eyes and gaping, panting breaths.

It didn't take long for Sakura to finish like that, her breaths ragged as she pumped those two fingers in and out furiously, her palm gliding over the most sensitive bundle of nerves as it went, and Hinata, screaming softly, came right after.

"That... wow," Sakura said at last when she'd regained some control over herself and her breathing, "I've never come quite that hard. Even with..."

Hinata smiled to put the other woman at ease and rolled half on top of her, kissing her neck gently, "Me, neither. It was amazing. I can't wait to have... your fingers inside me, to let Naruto..."

she trailed off, blushing again, but Sakura didn't have any words of recrimination to say.

_Instead, the only words that came out of her mouth before both women fell asleep was, "Maybe being perverted isn't such a bad thing."_


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 24**

When an exhausted Naruto finally made it home, he could hear Hinata and Sakura laughing from the street. _At least they're both in a good mood... that makes two of us._ As he stumbled up the walk and put his and on the doorknob and opened it slowly, he heard-

"-no way! He really said that?" _Hinata..._

"Yeah," Sakura replied loudly, "It was the corniest line I'd ever heard. What really surprised me wasn't that, though."

Naruto finished removing his sandals as Hinata asked, "Oh? What was it, then?"

"It almost _worked_. Seriously, if I hadn't been 'going out' -here, Naruto could see the shadows on the wall as he walked by give the quotation hand sign- "with Neji, I would have said yes."

He froze, and heard Hinata gasp, "You- you dated Neji-kun?"

Ssakura answered, a smile still evident in her voice, "Yeah... three disastrous dates. No offense, Hinata, but your cousin makes a rock look like an amazing conversational companion."

Hinata giggled, and Naruto relaxed. _Whew._ When he walked through the door into the kitchen, both kunoichi fell silent and jumped up, rushing toward him.

"Naruto," they both said at once, each reaching out to hug him. To his delight, he couldn't see any hesitation when they included each other as well.

"How are my girls?" he asked, placing a kiss on each forehead.

Both of them flushed, Sakura, to his surprise, even deeper than Hinata.

He looked back and forth between them for a moment before a twinkling of understanding dawned in him. "Oh... you two are... getting along great, then?"

Hinata nodded vigorously, and said, "Yes, we are... but we're both better now that you're here, Naruto-kun. Are you hungry?"

He shook his head and muttered, while gently pushing past them to collapse into a chair, "No... I had a bowl of Ichiraku's on the way home. I'm sorry... I should have thought to see if you wanted anything."

Both women's eyes widened slightly. Sakura asked, "Wait, Naruto... _one_ bowl? Of Ichiraku's? Are you... sick?"

He shook his head, but didn't say anything.

They took chairs on either side of him as usual, giving him concerned looks until he finally broke- which didn't take long with both of them at it. "It's Teuchi-san. He's... not going to last much longer. Ayame's really worried about him, she's not sure if she'll carry on the shop without him. And I... I..."

Sakura nodded, whispering, "He was your first friend. You're going to miss him a lot."

Naruto didn't bother reacting, both women knew it was true. His eyes were wet, but the tears hadn't yet begun to fall.

"How... how long?" Hinata asked, but Naruto only shook his head.

"They don't know. He's pretty old, older than he looks. I think Ayame was born when he was forty or so, and she's thirty plus now."

Neither woman had anything to say, but gave him what comfort they could just by being there, by stroking his back, holding his hand, and listening as he cried.

"Ayame... she never had kids. So now... the shop's probably going to go to one of their idiot assistants," Naruto said sadly after almost half an hour.

"That sucks," Sakura said, her voice more than a little annoyed, "They can't cook good ramen to save their lives. But Ayame's pretty, and really nice- how come she never got married?"

Naruto shot her a surprised look through his tears, and asked, "You're the master of gossip and relationships around here. You didn't know?"

The woman shook her head, surprised.  
"She was crazy in love with Kakashi-sensei for years. She never asked him out though, and when he started spending time with Anko..."

"Oh." Sakura said, and that was enough.

* * *

Tsunade was at war with herself- again. Shizune had expressly forbidden the older woman- as her doctor- from sake as of that morning. That, alone, would have put the woman in a furious mood, not least of which was because she knew the younger woman was right to do so. Her health was bad enough, filling her system with toxins all the time wasn't doing her any favors. On the other hand, it was _sake_, and she'd been drinking it heavily for... oh kami, more years than she wanted to remember she was alive.

_Damn it. How am I supposed to get through the day without sake? And she sent orders- as my physician!- to every damned store in town preventing sale to me. How's that fair? And I can't even gamble to help take my mind off of it all! 'Hokage is a position of distinction, one shouldn't engage in such frivolous activity while holding the office'. Damn it, Shizune, how am I supposed to enjoy life enough to keep going like this? Psh. She probably wants me to kick off so she can retire. I already told her she could... crazy kid._

"Maybe I should... just go home. I haven't seen Naruto in a few days, and even Sakura's pretty scarce around the tower nowadays."

"What was that, Tsunade-hime," Shizune asked, peeking her head in from the side office.  
"Nothing, Shizune," the old woman grumbled, pretending to still be horribly angry at the other woman, "I was talking about seeing Naruto tonight. He got back from his mission yesterday, but other than his report, I haven't been able to see him in over a week now. I was missing Sakura, too."

She hadn't meant to say that much, but Shizune was nothing if not understanding of the way her master thought. "We could... I mean... if you want me to come, of course- we could go see them. I haven't..."

Tsunade sighed like it was a huge, horrible favor she'd been asked. _I mean really, the woman followed me around for fifteen years. And she _still_ wants to spend time with me? Must be a damned masochist._ "All right, _fine_... you can come. But let me make sure it's all right with them, first."

Shizune smiled widely. It had been a long time since she'd socialized with _anyone_, much less three of her favorite people.

"Kodan, come here please," she called to her new assistant- Genma having been moved back to sensei duty after a courier mission had turned most foul- a young Chunin who didn't have nearly, in Tsunade's opinion, the balls or the brains to do the old Jonin's job.

When he'd come in- after an intolerable _seven_ seconds of waiting, Tsunade said curtly, "Go to the Uzumaki household. Ask anyone there- Misses Hyuga, Haruno, or Mr. Uzumaki, if they mind myself and Shizune dropping by for dinner."

He nodded politely, "Anything else, Hokage-sama?"

She grumbled loudly and said, "How much can you hold in your head at once? Just go!"

He smiled slightly, and skipped back out of the office, shutting the door softly behind him.

_Damned kids can never tell when I'm _really_ annoyed. They all think I'm just some old woman that pretends to be a bitch. Well... one of these days, I'm gonna have to show 'em better. Only Naruto's even scared of me anymore, and I think that's just the 'grandmother' thing._

_* * *_

The house was plenty big enough for the guests, but the kitchen table wasn't, so Sakura, who'd answered the door when the Chunin knocked, had left her unpacking at once to move the table and chairs outside, lay in a few leaves, and then went rooftop-hoping back to her old apartment and returned laden with her own smaller dinette table. It was awkward, but not heavy- she was a shinobi, after all- but it still took her a while to return with it. The sun was near setting when she put it down, at last, next to the other, larger table.

When she'd returned to the house, she heard the shower running. _Naruto's awake. Good... I need a kiss._ The thought, simple as it was, sent shivers up her spine. Over the last few days, she still hadn't had sex with Naruto- she'd discussed it at length before he'd gone on his mission, and more while he was away, and come to the conclusion that, like Hinata, she would wait as well until they were married. However...

All three of them, Hinata included, were driving each other crazy with constant innuendo, a caress here or there, and subtle looks that made the wanting so much greater. _All that's going to change, though..._

_kami, I can't believe it. We actually set a date. We're getting married._ The kunoichi's breath caught in her throat. _I... Naruto. Hinata. Me. And shishio too, if she can put up with... us. It's like a dream._

Her memory flashed back as she began to prepare most of the large dinner, setting aside the steaks she'd wait for Naruto to cook. He believed it was his 'duty as the man' to use the outdoor grill- or so he'd said when he'd brought it home. At first, the visions playing back in Sakura's head were of Naruto's proposal to her. How she'd felt, how he smelled, the light glinting off the windowsill... everything about that moment was etched into her. But after she'd replayed it a few times, she was interrupted from a fourth by the sound of Naruto stepping out of the shower and crossing the hall into their room.

Now, her memories were of late last night, just before the three had gone to bed.

_Naruto was sitting on the floor, looking at an old album Tsunade had given him when he was in the office giving his mission report. She and Hinata were playing cards across the couch, each giggling at each other without a word. The mysterious 'rules' of the game- such as they were- prevented talking except during certain periods, but laughing wasn't prohibited. Their card game had mostly become a method of distracting Naruto from his intense concentration on the old photographs of his parents and their friends._

_But he refused to let his attention budge until the moment Hinata decided to take their new game a step further. She'd leaned across the cards to Sakura, expecting a kiss, when he'd interrupted with a sudden question._

"_Hinata... marry me? Us?"_

_Hinata had frozen in place, pale eyes locked on her own pink lips while Sakura smirked, giggled, and then laughed loudly at her reaction. When she could move at last, Hinata turned her head slowly over to look at Naruto to see him giving her an intense, serious gaze._

"_You... you really want to go through with it?"_

_He nodded, saying nothing._

_She turned to look back at Sakura herself again and whispered, "And... you, too?"_

_She had hesitated for a moment, then two, and said softly, "I... can't imagine life without both of you any more."_

"_All right."_

_It wasn't a spectacular, joyous reaction to a proposal like many women would have given, but for those three, it was more than enough._

Work had begun the next day on their separate- but connected- weddings. It was all being done in secret, only Ino, Shino, and Neji of all their friends being let in on the secret.

The two men were chosen, not for their taste or anything similar, but simply for discretion- they were the ones least likely to give it all away. Ino was chosen for entirely different reasons- the flower shop, and the woman's own artistry with growing things of all kinds. Of course, she had been threatened with more than severe bodily harm if the secret was found to have slipped from her.

"_Of course, Sakura. I wouldn't... you're my best friend. I wouldn't give away _this_ secret for anything short of Inoko. You know that, don't you?"_

The memories continued to come by in a rush while salad was tossed, noodles cooked, and still Naruto hadn't come out of the bedroom.

"_Wait... you're marrying Naruto... and Hinata is too?"_

The question had come out, of course, as soon as Sakura had returned to the Yamanaka Flower Shop with Hinata, after Sakura had sworn Ino to secrecy.

_Hinata nodded, but didn't give out too many details. "It's... complicated," she said slowly, but still without a stutter, "but he's marrying both of us, yes."_

_Ino had only shaken her head, taking it much better than either woman had expected, and said loudly, "That Naruto is the luckiest bastard ever. The only way he could be luckier is if he was marrying me, too. But that's not going to happen." _

_Her slight ego trip was forgotten immediately when Hinata spotted the ring on the blond's own finger._

"_Lee-san... proposed already?" she said, surprised._

_Ino had laughed and shaken her head again, "No, I did. I'm... I know he's the one. He says he's never been happier, and even Inoko likes him, and she hasn't liked any man I've ever brought home- except Naruto."_

_The jibe didn't affect either woman, and Ino sighed. "You guys aren't any fun any more. All that trust. Psh, who needs it... how am I supposed to enjoy your company if I can't make you sweat?"_

Four hours later, flower arrangements had been made for two weddings- one at the Hyuga estate, and the other, smaller, but no less extravagant, in the training field where Team Seven had spent most of it's time. _No better place,_ Sakura thought, smiling at the image of she and Naruto being married beside Hinata- and the three long-familiar stumps.

_Where _is_ he?_

Sakura set down the last of the food she would be preparing- it was all ready, aside from the steaks- and washed her hands in the sink before walking down the hall.

But when she reached their bedroom, she was surprised to see that he was no where in sight.  
"Naruto?"

There wasn't any answer.

Near-panic set in at once. _Was he hurt? Kidnapped?_

But then reality hit her upside the head. _No way. Naruto's way too strong to be captured or hurt without me knowing, especially if I'm close by. Wherever he is, it's willingly... I should have told him we had guests tonight, but I didn't want to wake him. Wish he'd come to see what I was doing before he left without a word, though._

Sakura, suddenly bored, decided to make a quick run to the nearest grocery to pick up some sake- a bottle for everyone, and three bottles for Tsunade- because she had _just_ enough time to make it there and back.

When she returned, only Hinata was at the house, wandering in from the back yard through the sliding glass doors in the kitchen. "Sakura-chan, what's going on? Are we having guests?"

She nodded in response and asked, "Is that all right? No one else was home, so... I kind of just said yes."

"It's fine, I don't mind," Hinata said quietly, "but who is it?"

"Oh, shishio and Shizune. They haven't seen us in a while, and Tsunade was getting antsy, so... I brought some sake, cooked dinner... we'll grill when Naruto gets back. I hope it's soon."

Hinata moved over to the sink to fill the kettle for some tea and said, "I saw him earlier, in one of the more expensive boutiques in the market. I didn't have time to stop, though, and didn't see the store."

"Huh. I wonder what he was doing? Maybe something for the wedding?" Sakura mused, but Hinata didn't have an answer.

* * *

When Naruto did finally return, it was to see Tsunade and Shizune standing on his porch, looking annoyed.

"Naruto," Tsunade said angrily, "where've you been? We've been waiting for twenty minutes! Aren't Sakura and Hinata here?"

"Uh... what?" he asked, nonplussed.

The old woman sighed, and explained as if to a five-year-old, "I sent Gen- no, Kodan over at eleven. He said he spoke to Sakura, and she said it was all right if we came over tonight. We haven't seen you three outside of work in a while, so..."

"Oh. _Oh_," he said, grasping the concept now, "I didn't stop to talk to Sakura when I left... sorry, I didn't know. I had to get to... well..." he leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, _"rings_."

The fire in Tsunade's eyes went out at once, and they started to mist.

Shizune hid her smirk behind her hand- everyone who knew the old woman at all was fully aware that she thought of Naruto as an odd mix between a best friend, a son, and a grandson all at once. "Hmph. Well... I supp_ose_ I can understand that. So... you proposed, then? To Hinata too?"

He nodded and whispered again, "I was actually... engaged to Sakura before Hinata came back. So... Should I ask her again, do you think?"

Tsunade shrugged, and Shizune was looking more and more confused as time went on.

"Up to you, I guess. She probably won't care either way... in fact, knowing her, she'd just tell you you're crazy for asking the same question twice. Oh, don't give us that look, Shizune," she said, giving her old friend an elbow nudge, "I'll explain it all later. Let's go in, Naruto, I'm tired of standing."

"Sorry, sorry," he gushed, sliding past them to stick his key in the door, "Don't... wait, Obaa-chan, don't you have a key?"

Tsunade rolled her brown eyes, and said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Yes, but it's _your_ house. And I'm a guest at the moment, so..."

He looked straight at her and said firmly, "No, it's _your_ house too. All three of us want you to live here instead of alone at the tower. So come and go as you please. Hell, bring... uh... guy... umm... friends... over, if you want! We won't care, I promise."

Shizune coughed, and Tsunade spluttered for a full minute while he snickered, leading them through the living room and kitchen, hunting for his two fiancees.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 25**

The dreaded day had finally come. It was time... time to tell their parents.

All three spent the morning with a feeling of imminent doom hanging over their heads. Maybe it was the meeting- scheduled three weeks in advance- with Lord Hyuga Hiashi, Neji, and Hanabi. Maybe it was Sakura telling her parents- her _non-shinobi_ parents, who had never understood their daughter once she'd started attending the Academy- about her alternative lifestyle.

Naruto, who had no living parents to tell, was even more afraid than the women were. He may have practically raised himself, but there were some matters he was a devout traditionalist on. For instance, he believed firmly that he had to ask the father for each woman's hand. Of course, as he reassured them, he would be going forward with it anyway- but it was polite to ask. If the more traditional Hyuga family demanded a dowry for the Heiress' hand, he didn't know what he would do- but as he promised Hinata over breakfast, he would do _something_.

Sakura laughed at that, and said, "Coming from anyone else that would be ridiculous. But you? You never plan anything, and it all works out."

He turned a little red and picked at his food for a minute, muttering to himself, "I plan _some_ things..."

Since Sakura's father worked, they would be meeting him during the evening- and the earliest they had been able to get all three of the necessary Hyuga at the same time had been at two in the afternoon.

Even accounting for Sakura and Naruto's team practices, and Hinata's still-ongoing training with her cousin, that gave them a total of over five hours- having all woken up long before dawn in a cold sweat when Naruto had a near-panic attack- to work themselves up even further.

Throughout training his team, who had now each advanced to the point where he could almost say they had truly 'mastered' the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, Naruto was constantly glancing around, fearful that some random Hyuga had been sent to 'silence him' after they had found out about his 'nefarious plot'.

Sakura was just as bad, so much so that at ten she gave up and ended their practice early and went to watch Naruto.

When the two reached home for lunch, Naruto's team in tow, Hinata was sitting in the kitchen on her favorite chair, her face as white as a sheet.

"Hinata... are you okay?" Naruto asked when he'd gone inside.

As the others followed in after him, she didn't react for a while, but eventually raised her eyes to meet Naruto's, "He... he knows. Neji. I told him... I let it slip that... we're... umm..."

Sakura had never in her entire life blacked out, but she hit the ground with a thud behind Naruto, and his knees gave out as well, though he retained consciousness.

When he recovered, the first thing he did was pick Sakura up, rescuing her from the near-panicked ministrations of Tenchi and Inoko, with Kamisori freaking out behind them, and sat her, half awake, on the chair beside Hinata.

"Umm... he knows... everything?"

Hinata nodded just a little bit, and Naruto started to shake.

"Knows what?" Kamisori asked, clueless.

Tenchi and Inoko shared a look about their teammate and the raven-hair blurted out, "About the double wedding, dummy. Naruto-sensei's marrying both Hinata-sama and Sakura-sensei."

Everyone present gasped, and Inoko paled herself. "Umm... sorry? I didn't know it was a … secret. I'm _so sorry_!"

She started to get teary, but Naruto forced out, "It's... okay. Everyone's going to know eventually anyway, right? It's just... a little sooner than we expected. But... how did you know?"

"_Ino!_" Sakura shouted, jumping to her feet, but the younger blond interrupted.

"No, it wasn't mom, I swear! I just... I... I figured it out!"

Sakura turned a furious, green-eyed glare to the young woman and said coldly, "Or you just want to spare your mother my _eternal_ wrath!"

"N,o, really," she said, her eyes still teary, "I... it was... my eyes! They just... showed me your chakra when you... umm..." she fell silent, her face turning almost as red as Hinata's when she figured out what had given them away.

Sakura sat down in a huff, turning her head away from the three teenagers and folding her arms angrily.

Naruto, trying to break the attention, said nervously, "Heh... heh heh. I guess I need to start trying to... train your Sharingan, then, huh?"

No one laughed.

After a while, Kamisori shook his head and said, "Man, I don't know how you can handle it, sensei, I can barely keep _one_ girl kind of happy."

Tenchi blushed a little, but elbowed her boyfriend hard. He winced, and then, like a dam bursting, the kitchen was filled with loud laughter.

* * *

"Will you keep it quiet, for now?" Hinata asked an hour later after they'd finally finished lunch.  
The three teens all agreed, of course, but still Naruto threatened them with not teaching them a single other jutsu for the duration of their time with him if a word was said- even to each other.

Actually worried, now, the three swore up and down that they wouldn't breath a word to anyone- not even Ino.

It was ten minutes before Sakura came back, chest heaving, and said, "Damn it, Naruto... they got away! And now I need to take a shower before we- _oh crap._ We're really... umm..."

The relaxed ambiance was gone at once.

"Umm... me too," Naruto said, standing quickly, followed by Hinata, who only squeaked something unintelligible before fleeing into the last bathroom.

* * *

The guards at the Hyuga Estate didn't hesitate to allow them entry, instead they saluted Hinata as she passed. She gave them what, to her, was an imperious bow, but still looked like a caring nod to both Sakura and Noruto.

An elderly woman led them to a little-used room in an almost-empty wing of the large house, and with each step, Hinata's nervousness grew. _No. I can't pass out. I have to be there for... for them. I _won't_ faint! Not this time! Even if it is Father! Even if he disavows me forever!_

Such was their fear that all three walked right past the room, even though the old woman had stopped long before they reached it.

"Ahem. It's in here, Hinata-sama," the old woman said quietly, and when they'd turned, gave a little rap on the door before gliding sedately back down the hall.

"Enter," said the unmistakable voice of Naruto's worst fear.

As promised, the only people present were Hiashi, Neji, and Hanabi. The three of them were spaced evenly around an ancient, priceless tea set, which had tiny curls of steam rising from the spout.

"Ah, Hinata-chan, Uzumaki-san, Haruno-san," Hiashi said, his expression flat, "Please, sit."

When the three had sat, Hinata in the middle flanked by Sakura and Naruto, it wasn't a moment too soon for the young heiress. Her knees had collapsed at the end, unable to bear her any longer.

Sakura was sitting across from Hanabi, Naruto from Neji, whose pale eyes seemed to bore straight through him, leaving a bloody trail of agony as it went.  
"You requested a meeting with the three of us, Hinata?" Hiashi's voice was, like his expression, neutral, but he didn't fool Naruto.

_Shit, he's going to kill me! Kill all of us!_

"Umm... yes, Father.. I... I..."

Hanabi looked over at her sister, at last taking her eyes off of Sakura's, "Sister, it isn't like you to stutter any more. I thought Naruto taught you better. Just say it."

"I... we... I..." she began, but suddenly the words fled her mind.

In the end, it was Naruto who rescued her. _Who always rescues me when I need him._

"Lord Hiashi, Neji-sama, Hanabi-chan... I, I mean we- _we_ want to... ask for permissiontomarryyourdaughterHinata." The last came out so fast that Hanabi didn't catch it, but the eyes of both males narrowed at once.  
"You... what?" Hiashi asked slowly, and Naruto's hands started to shake worse than before.

"I... we, _we_, want to... umm... marry your daughter?" The last word came out as barely more than a squeak, and it sounded so much like Hinata than Neji's composure broke, and he laughed out loud.

A quick glare from his uncle silenced him at once, though, and his face went right back to it's half-scowl, though one corner of his mouth continued to twitch.

"You- both of you, I presume- want to ask _my permission_ to marry _my daughter?_"

He hadn't yelled, hadn't raised his voice at all, but even Sakura, so far the most in control, started to panic as well.

Hinata started to sway, her lips as pale as her skin, when Hiashi spoke again, his voice now totally level, as it had been when they first entered the room. "Can I expect that you- all three of you- have given this a _great_ deal of thought, and are all in total agreement? You agree to spend your _entire_ lives together? The Hyuga clan does not tolerate divorce very well."

Three sets of eyes activated their Byakugan at once, mid-way through Hiashi's question. But all three of the Hyuga steadfastly refused to give any sign as to what they saw.

"Y... yes, F..f.. Father," Hinata stammered out, "We... we love each other. All three of us."

Hanabi gave the slightest twitch of a smirk, but said nothing.

"And you have, I also presume, plans to continue, even without our blessing?"

Naruto nodded, but said quickly, "Yes, Lord Hiashi. But I- _we_- thought it best that we ask anyway. I can't speak for Sakura, but-"

"Yes, you can, Naruto," the kunoichi said softly, and he glanced at her before resuming.

"_We_ are in _love_ with your daughter. With Hinata. Either of us would go to the ends of the earth for her. I have... I have _proven_ my devotion, time and again. And so has Sakura."

Hanabi sniggered, and Hiashi's eye twitched.

"What we have is... special. I know it's not normal, I know everyone will probably say we're.... I don't know, breaking laws or something, but to us... it's _right_. We wouldn't change anything."

The two women at his side nodded, both firmly, and Hiashi released his Byakugan, followed closely by Neji and Hanabi.

"Very well. You may go wait in the garden, we need to discuss the matter. I will send someone for you when we are through."

Hinata bowed, putting her head on the floor, and said, "Thank you for listening, Father. Please decide fairly."

And that was it. The three stood as one and filed out of the meeting chamber, Hinata leading the way back to the outdoor garden in the center of the large home.

Once again, nervous anxiety had settled in by the time they'd sat on two benches facing each other.

"What do you think he...?"  
Naruto's unfinished question filled the air for a long time, but neither woman could answer it. In the end, together as they were, each was left to their own thoughts.

_Kami, I'm so damned scared. This is worse than Orochimaru. Worse than Gaara, worse than... every ninja I've ever fought, all at once._

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long. Less than fifteen minutes later, Neji was standing stoically at the same entrance to the garden they had used, waiting for them to rise.  
"Hiashi-sama is ready for you to return."

They wouldn't have made the trip back- any of them- if they hadn't been holding onto each other's hands like lifelines. When they were again sitting before the trio of Hinata's family, Hiashi began the tea ceremony.  
No word was spoken as he completed the timeless ritual, but for the three, the steps taken by the drinker- calming as they were- did nothing to help them.

"Uzumaki-san," Hiashi said when the ritual was complete at last, "you have means to provide for both of them?"

Naruto blushed a little and replied, "I... sort of? I mean, we're all ninja, and-"

"That won't do," Neji interrupted, his voice a little severe, "Hinata-sama is the Hyuga heiress. She cannot be risked in missions unless it is absolutely necessary after she is married. She must produce main-branch heirs, and so must be protected. We cannot let the line die out."

Naruto gulped, but kept his eyes locked on Hiashi, "I... I will do more missions, then. I will _make_ it work."

While he had spoken, all three Byakugan had been activated again, and now were left active.

"Very well. You have a place for the three of you to live?"

Naruto nodded again, this time a little relieved, "Yeah- I mean, yes, sir. I already own a house, and it's large enough for all of us. And... uh... heirs."

Hiashi couldn't control his own mouth twitching upwards at Naruto's uncomfortable turn of phrase.

"I see. And you have sufficient finances for... two weddings?"

Sakura answered this one, "Yes, sir. We... all of us pooled our mission income for them, keeping only a little for... other things. With my work at the hospital, we are able to provide for ourselves just fine, and the weddings will be taken care of."

"I see. Then, I have a final question. What proof do you have that you, Uzumaki Naruto, are of acceptable blood to marry into the noble Hyuga clan?"

Hinata, for the first time, answered one of her father's questions without hesitation or nervousness. "Father, he will not be taking the Hyuga name."

All three sets of activated Byakugan went wide. "He... _what?_"

Hinata shook her head firmly and said, "He will not. I don't care if you make Hanabi the heir- I will not force Naruto to take our name when his own is even more distinguished."

Hiashi leaned back in surprise, and Neji and Hanabi looked over at him, confused.

"So, you know then? About your father and mother?"  
Naruto nodded solemnly, and Hiashi started to chuckle.

"Very well then. You've taken care of the wedding, you own property already, you don't need money, don't want our name... is there anything the Hyuga family _can_ do to help you have a happy life together?"

"W... what?"

Sakura wasn't sure which of them- maybe her- had said it. It could have been all three.

But she was certain that, for the first time in living memory, Hiashi was truly laughing.

When the three Hyuga had calmed themselves a little, Hinata said, "But I... I thought you... were going to say no! That I'd disgraced the family, or something!"

Neji was the most able to answer, so, glancing at his uncle for permission, replied, "We thought about it. We really did... but... the three of us came to the conclusion that we'd rather you were happy than enforce some silly tradition."

"However," Hiashi said after another moment of near-silence, "I do have one request. For the benefit of the Clan, we would be happy to have Namikaze blood introduced. But if any- or all- of the children Hinata bears have the Byakugan, we would ask that they take the Hyuga name."

Hinata, shooting a quick look at Naruto, said, "Um... that's perfect. Thank you, Father, Neji-kun, Hanabi-chan.... I..."

When she wiped the tears from her eyes, the passage of her hands revealed the widest smile her father could remember ever seeing on his eldest child.

Some time later, after a few more details had been worked out, Hiashi said, "Naruto, I'd like a word alone, if no one objects."

A twinge of anxiety filled him, but he nodded anyway and rose to his feet alongside the older man. Hiashi led him back out to the garden and, using his Byakugan to make sure no one was nearby, said softly, "Forgive me for speaking of... personal issues, but I have to know. Have you... been with my daughter?"

Naruto, blushing again, said just as quietly but almost ferociously, "No! I wouldn't... I mean... Hinata didn't want to until..."

Hiashi breathed a sigh of relief, then said again, his voice still quiet but no longer whispered, "I appreciate your restraint, then. And I also wanted to thank you for coming to me properly. But mostly I want to thank you for your candor. It's not often someone will see me as a father, not 'Lord Hyuga'."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and muttered, "It's nothing."

Hiashi smiled and turned to walk, Naruto trailing slightly behind him, "So... we have discussed your home, finances, personal feelings, and the necessary matters of children... so I am almost done with you. But there are two more things that bear mentioning. The first is something I am simply going to tell you, the other is a question similar to those we've already discussed. This question, though, is just for you."

Naruto gulped, nodded, and kept walking until Hiashi stopped and faced him.

"First, I want you to know that, before or after your wedding, you and Sakura are welcome here. The family will be informed. Treat us as your own family, if you desire."

Naruto's jaw dropped, and he didn't close it until Hiashi smiled. "Hyuga-sama, I... I don't know what to say."

Hiashi started walking again, forcing Naruto to take a few rapid steps to keep up. "Don't say anything, then. If you are marrying into the family, you are family. It's quite a simple concept, really."

_Did he... did he just make a joke? After a huge practical joke like that?_

Naruto laughed weakly, but didn't say anything, too stunned for words.

"The last matter... wait, no, there are two. My apologies. Regardless... you have rings? For both women?"

Naruto nodded, blushing again, but said nothing.  
"Very well... once again, you keep me from assisting you. I was going to offer my own and my late wife's, but... I suppose one day, Hanabi will need them."

Naruto stopped cold this time, and Hiashi turned to see his jaw slack and eyes wide. "Lord Hyuga... I... I am honored. I'm sorry I already..."  
Hiashi waved his apology off and motioned for Naruto to continue walking, "It doesn't matter. My only regret is that I haven't been able to contribute much. But I'm sure I'll find something. As for the last matter... I'm sure this is something you've given a lot of thought to already. But since I have not... what assurance can you give me that my daughter, and Sakura too, will never bear the wrath of the Kyuubi?"

Naruto stopped again, but started walking again almost at once. "I just checked his cage. He's... gone. The seal has fallen from the door."

Hiashi stopped walking, and Naruto hastily explained how he could go inside his own mind and see the prison that had been created for the Nine-Tailed Beast. "So... yeah, the seal's on the ground and the Fox is gone. It's... Granny Tsunade- sorry, Hokage-same- said that his chakra was about fully absorbed, and since that's all he's made of..."

Hiashi nodded, smiling again, "Good. And of course, neither woman would _ever_ bear _your_ wrath, correct?"

Naruto gave a little, nervous laugh, and answered, "I'm more worried about me bearing _theirs._ One of them mad at me is bad enough, but... both?"

Hiashi and Naruto shared a shudder, chills running up and down each spine.

* * *

As the trio meandered down the streets from the Hyuga compound to the small house in a residential district where the Haruno family lived, Sakura's demeanor changed slowly from the joy they all shared to a dismal gloom that had Naruto sweating buckets.

"Come on, Sakura-chan," Hinata said in what she hoped was a cheery voice, "We convinced my father. How hard could your parents be?"

Sakura didn't answer, and Hinata didn't try again.

The young woman had let her parents know that they 'needed to talk', but hadn't given any clue as to the subject.

When the three arrived, they were greeted at the door by a woman that could only be Sakura's mother. She was, like her daughter, tall and slender. Her long, flowing hair- much like Sakura's had been in her youth, though even longer- was the color of a pink rose. The facial features were almost identical, only the woman's eyes were a dark, rich chocolate brown.

Naruto's first thought on meeting her was, _Sakura's going to be a gorgeous mother... and a beautiful grandmother._

The older woman played the perfect, gracious host for all three of them for over an hour until Sakura's father finally got home. She had shown the pictures- but no baby pictures, to Sakura's relief- of her daughter growing up, and when her father had walked through the door, she had been laughing over the story of why Sakura had decided to become a ninja. It was, in her words, 'to rescue all the poor, homeless kitties and puppies' in Konoha.  
Sakura was blushing, her two fiancees were both laughing, and even her reserved mother was giggling when he came in.  
"What's going on?" the older man asked after he'd shut the door.

"Oh, good evening dear," his wife replied, "You remember- Sakura and her friends said they needed to talk to us. Dinner will be ready in an hour."

He nodded and walked from the room, barely sparing a wave for the three, "Good to see you, Sakura. I'll be back in a bit."

He walked, his tread heavy and slow, up the stairs and down the upper hallway. They heard a door shut, and shuffling of feet, before Ms. Haruno resumed speaking. "He's been working very hard lately... I hardly get to see him, any more."

Sakura frowned, and said, "But I see him leaving the shop almost every day either on my way from practice or to the hospital."

"I don't know what to tell you, dear, but your father comes home late and exhausted almost every night, now. He's been working hard on some big project, but he's sworn to secrecy, so..."

Sakura shrugged, and reached out a hand to take the last photo album from her mother, who snatched it away at the last second, grinning again, "Oh ho, no, no! We haven't finished yet."

It wasn't much longer before the man came back down the stairs, this time clothed in jeans and a t-shirt that read 'Eat it' with a drawing of a slice of pie. "So what's up?" he asked, dropping into the last place in the living room, next to his wife. He spread his arms wide in either direction, his eyes moving back and forth between the three younger people.

"Umm... mom, dad... I have something important to tell you," Sakura began, her voice very quiet, "and I don't know how you'll react. I know you don't really understand the whole 'shinobi' thing, but... it's not really anything to do with that. So... I guess what I'm trying to say is, please keep an open mind. Okay?"

Ms. Haruno smiled benignly and replied, "Of course, dear. You can tell us anything, you know that. Even if we don't understand, we'll still listen. Right, dear?" she finished, looking over at her husband, who grunted.

"Well..." Sakura started again, growing more nervous as time passed, "I... I'm getting married."  
She held up her ring, and her mother's hand flew to cover her wide-opened mouth.

Her father grunted loudly this time, his own eyes boring into Naruto's.  
To his credit, the blond ninja showed no sign of fear or backing down this time. In fact, his jaw was clenched, and his mouth was set in a determined line.

"So... you finally got a man, huh?" Mr. Haruno said at last, not looking at his daughter, "Looks kind of scrawny... but I'm sure he knows plenty of ninja tricks. If he makes you happy, 's good enough for me."

Hinata and Naruto both breathed sighs of relief, but Sakura knew that what she'd just said was the easy part. Her mother, for one, had been trying to get her to marry for years now.

"Umm... there's... something else."

"Yes, dear?" her mother prodded after Sakura had fallen silent for over a minute.

"I... I'm not marrying just Naruto. I'm marrying... Hinata. Too, I mean. Both of them."

Her mother's eyebrows nearly touched as her brow furrowed, trying to understand, "I'm sorry... do you know more than one Hinata? I could have sworn this lovely young woman here was named Hinata. But you're marrying..."

Sakura nodded, her grip on Hinata's hand tightening.

"Oh my."

Her hand dropped back to join the other in her lap, but her mouth and eyes didn't close.

At last, her father stood slowly and grumbled, "I'll handle this."

He turned to Sakura first, and growled, his face stern, "This farce has gone on long enough. We let you go to that crazy Academy because you cried for days when we said no. We didn't say anything when you came back from that mission to the Land of Waves all cut up and scarred. Or even when we found out you could level our house in a tantrum if you wanted to. But I've had enough. You need to retire from being a ninja, get a normal, real job, and find yourself a husband, get married, and have lots of kids. And that's _final_, young lady."

Naruto proved he knew Sakura better than her own father did when he shifted to the far end of the couch, pulling Hinata with him when he spotted a familiar vein twitching in Sakura's forhead.

She stood slowly, hands clenched, and also growled out her reply, "I won't. I won't give up Naruto _or_ Hinata. I won't give up being a ninja. And I won't settle down to _your_ life!"

Each word had gotten louder and louder, until she was literally screaming at her father.

He swelled up, taking a huge breath, and let it all out at once. His eyes narrowed again and he said, his voice low and menacing, "Don't take that tone with me, young lady. I am still your father, and you will listen to what I tell you. Or you can just get out of my house."

Ms. Haruno gasped, but Sakura didn't react at all. At last, she said, "Is that how it's going to be? Because I don't agree with your narrow-minded, self-centered, egotistical view of the way the world is supposed to work, I get to move out? I don't know if you've noticed, _dad_, but I moved out _seven years ago! But I don't expect you to know that, since you haven't paid any attention to me in over ten years! So fine, be an asshole if you want! But we're going ahead with it anyway!_ If... if.." her voice broke, and she trembled as she forced out the last words, "If you or mom want to come to the wedding, that's fine. But I won't force you to. You don't have to like it. But it's _my_ life. And I'm living it the way I choose to."

Sakura then gathered what dignity she had and walked slowly to the door. She waited with her hand on the knob for Hinata and Naruto to stand up, and when they had, said quietly, "Good night, father, mother. Mom, it was great to see you again. Dad... I miss the way I remember you from when I was a little girl."

Then she pulled open the door, and they left.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 26**

Sakura was sobbing before they left the Haruno's yard, but neither Hinata nor Naruto could think of anything to say to cheer the woman up. After a while, she simply stopped in the middle of the street and cried, eventually sinking to her knees.

"Sakura-chan..."

"Oi, Sakura... I know it sucks about your mom and dad," Naruto said softly, doing his best to actually be a comfort, "but it's just a shock, you know? They'll... um... they'll get used to the idea? And then they'll want you in their lives. Right?"

Sakura sniffled, but didn't respond. With a sigh, Naruto bent low and picked up the crying woman bridal-style, saying, "No need to cry out here where everyone can see it. Let's get home."

Hinata, now leaking silent tears herself because of Sakura's pain, opened the door for the other two without a sound.

The Hyuga woman was shocked to see Tsunade- but not alone.

With a quiet gasp, she shut the door quickly, too quickly, and thus told everyone on both sides of the door that something was up.

"Uh... Hinata?" Naruto asked, confused.

She blushed deeply and stammered, "Uh... the Hokage-sama is... umm... er... in...disposed? We should... umm... wait."

Naruto sighed again, bending down a little to set Sakura on her feet. She wasn't crying anymore, but her head was hung so low that even the shorter Hinata couldn't see anything but the tip of her nose through her thick, pink bangs. "Oi, Obaa-chan! Get decent already!"

"N-Naruto!" Hinata gasped out, but he didn't change his countenance.

"We need to come in. So quit changing clothes in the living-"

The door was opened to reveal a towering, raging older blond woman, her eyes burning with anger. "Naruto. Why are you shouting things like that across the whole neighborhood?"

He gulped, but didn't back down. "We need to come in. Sakura's upset, so... wait, your clothes are already on. What were you _doing_?"

Tsunade finally looked at the two women, her face softening at once when she saw her student. "Come on in, then. I was just..."

But her voice trailed off, Naruto had already led Sakura in through the door with his arm around her slender waist.

"Uh... _Genma_? What are you doing here?"

Tsunade turned red, but went back in with a sigh anyway while the Jonin stammered. "I... uh... Lady Tsunade has something to... umm... discuss with me in private?"

"Tch," the Hokage responded before Naruto could say anything else, "pathetic. You're a Jonin, you should be able to lie better than that. He's here with me _privately_, Naruto. And that's all you need to know."

Mercifully, it, for once, didn't take Naruto long to make the connection. Comprehension stole across his face, and to his credit, he didn't blush or make any sign that he was uncomfortable with the prospect, though Hinata did. "Fine... just keep it in your bedroom please, okay? With the door shut?"

_Geez, it's like being scolded by my parents... and my grandkid!_

"So," Genma said trying to break the sudden chill, "how have you three been? I haven't seen you much since you got your teams, and..." The Jonin trailed off when it became obvious that, in fact, none of the three were doing very well.  
"Genma... maybe you should go home for now. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Tsunade's voice was soft and measured, but everyone present could hear the concern for her student in it.

He nodded once, bowed to the others with a mumbled apology for his indiscretion, and left through the front door.

"So... I take it that things didn't go well, today?" Tsunade asked after a while, walking across the living room to take the recliner for herself.

With a collective shake of their heads, Naruto still leading Sakura by the waist, the three walked around the couch and sat down on it.  
"Hmm. Maybe I can talk to Hiashi for you..." Tsunade began, a finger on her chin, "But I don't really know the-"

"My father is okay with it," Hinata interrupted, not even looking at the Hokage, "so are Neji-kun and Hanabi-chan. They seemed almost eager, in fact."

Tsunade was obviously surprised, but she recovered quickly. "Oh... so it's just the Harunos that are giving you problems?"

Sakura, reacting for the first time since they'd gotten home, nodded once.

"Those bastards. I'll rip 'em a- Oh. Sorry, Sakura."

Hinata was the one that spoke first, "No... we understand why you're angry, Tsunade-hime. It's just... if Sakura has the right to choose her own path in life, so do they. So... we can't be mad at them for it, can we? It would make us just as bad as they are."

The old woman sighed, relaxing back into the chair again and replied, "Fine, fine... I guess I won't go beat them to a pulp. But can I at least hurt them a little for making my baby cry?"

Sakura looked up finally, her emerald eyes glistening with tears, but a weak smile on her face. "Shishio... I'm not your baby."

Tsunade gave a little chuckle and answered, "Maybe not by blood. But you've been my little girl since I first took you under my wing, whether you like it or not. So... I guess what I'm saying is, I'll... I'll give you away. I'll be both your parents if I have to."

Sakura started crying again at once, and didn't stop until she had fallen asleep with her head in Hinata's lap, her torso laying across Naruto's.

* * *

"All right, you guys. Let's head out!"

Naruto gave a fist-pump, his three Genin teammates mimicking the move as well.

As the four shinobi walked down the wide road through the forest after leaving the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Inoko asked her teammates in a whisper, "Does Naruto-sensei seem a little different today? He doesn't seem like himself, right?"

Tenchi looked thoughtful for a second, but Kamisori played it off, waving his hand, "Nah, he's just a little tired, that's all. He's got two beautiful girls at his beck and call. But even he's got to get tired every once in a while, right?"

Tenchi's fist met the teen's jaw with a resounding smack. "You dick! How often are you gonna bring that up?! Do you think he likes it when people talk about him behind his back like that?!"

Inoko sighed, and Naruto looked back over his shoulder, his face stern, "Hey. I don't care what you guys say, but you should say it quieter. Are you shinobi, or a comedy act? I mean, really."

All three of the Genin stopped, suddenly laughing, though Kamisori was still rubbing his red jaw.

"Should we tell him about all the stories your mom told us about him when he was our age, Inoko?" Tenchi whispered to her friend, and the younger girl snickered harder.

"No... he's trying to pretend to be a serious shinobi now, we shouldn't make fun of him for it!"

"Hey... where'd Naruto-sensei go?" Kamisori asked, looking ahead. But he was gone.

"Umm... this can't be happening, right?" Tenchi asked, suddenly nervous. "I mean... this is our first real, C-rank mission. There's even supposed to be some combat, right? So... so where is sensei?"

Kamisori stood up straight and raised his hand to shade his eyes. "His tracks stop right... there. They just _stop._ Let's check it out!"

Hesitantly, even though they were less than five miles from the village, the trio moved forward down the wide road. They had seen traffic frequently, but now, there were no signs of anyone.

"Do you... do you think it was enemy ninja?" Inoko asked, her eyes flickering back and forth to watch all the trees around them.

The other girl started to shake visibly, and stammered out, "St- ststt- Stone? I don't... it's a long way from the Land of Stone, isn't it?"

Kamisori's eyes narrowed as they approached the spot where they'd last seen Naruto. "Doesn't matter. If they're good shinobi, they can penetrate even here. That's what ninja do- even ninja guards can't keep out a decent ninja." Inoko shared a look with their silver-haired teammate, and nodded firmly.

"Sh... Sharingan!"

Despite the lack of proper training, the girl's inherent talent worked to her advantage. Only one eye- her right- activated fully, and only had one whorl, but it was a Sharingan nonetheless.  
"He... there's a really faint chakra trace. I can just barely see it... some kind of jutsu, but I'm not sure what kind. No signs of a struggle."

"Right," Kamisori said, his own jaw set, "I'll go look for him. You two stay here."

Inoko scoffed. "I don't think so. Just because you're older doesn't make you in charge. I'll go scout with you."

"But I-" Tenchi said quietly, but both of the others gave her a look that said, quite clearly, 'stay out of this'.

"Heh, just because you finally started to get your eyes doesn't make you a better scout than me, Little Ino."

The raven-haired Yamanaka's eyebrows raised a smidgeon. "You're right, old man. It doesn't. But my scores in tracking compared to yours _do._ But that's why we're both going. Tenchi- you stay here. Send out bugs to look for him, follow his chakra trace. Keep some with us, too, so you'll know if we need help."

Kamisori opened his mouth to say something else with a glare, but shut it when it became clear that Inoko wasn't backing down. "Fine, whatever. Let's just go find sensei."

Re-focused, the three Genin shared a determined look and the oldest and youngest jumped off into the thick forest, leaving Tenchi to stand alone in the middle of the road.

"Hey there, little girl."

The voice was soft and rasping, just the kind a pretty young teenaged girl doesn't want to hear when she's all alone in the middle of a forest.  
Aburame Tenchi was, by no means, a coward. She was a ninja, after all, and had proven her bravery simply by passing the Academy graduation exam. But that voice sent chills up her spine.

"Who... who's there?" She pulled out a kunai with each hand, her dark sunglasses glinting off of the occasional ray of sunlight that broke through the thick clouds and foliage overhead.

She spun suddenly, hoping to catch at least a glimpse of the man- or whatever- was out there, but all she saw was the road and more trees.

"I said, who's there?" Her voice was louder this time, but she was rather proud of herself from keeping any sound of fear out of it.

"It's just me, little girl," the voice said again, from right behind her. But when she whirled around again, her kunai moving toward her target's throat, there was no one there.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of little old me, are you little girl? Are you... afraid of a poor, lonely man like me?" After the voice finished speaking, there was a quiet, half-mad chuckle.

Beneath her long, heavy coat, Tenchi's knees began to shake. "I'm not afraid! Show yourself! Do you know anything about where my sensei is?"

"Tisk, tisk, little girl... it's not safe for you to wander the forest, all alone. Not safe to play at being a ninja, either... you could get hurt."

The Aburame spun once again, but she still saw nothing. _Wait... the bugs. They aren't agitated. Am I... imagining this? Am I letting my fear get the better of me?_

"I have an idea, little girl... How about you come with me? I'll take you somewhere quiet, where you can rest... there's no need to be scared. I'll keep you _good_ company!"

The last word was hissed out, and Tenchi couldn't stop herself from giving a little cry of fear.

And that only made the voice laugh again. "You _are_ afraid, aren't you! You don't have to be afraid of me... I know what you're thinking. You want to do things with that other boy... the one with the silver hair, don't you? Well... I want to do those things with you, too."

"What?! No... I don't!" she cried out, spinning again. Now, at last, the kikaichu that made their home in her body began to react as if they were in danger.

"You can't lie to me, little girl... I know every thought, every desire, every fear in your pretty little head. You want him to make you a woman. You want to be an adult, and do the things that adults do, don't you?"

"I... no! I mean..." she didn't even notice that her eyes were filling with tears.

"It's all right... I'll take you to somewhere private, and I'll teach you things that adults do that your silver-haired friend wouldn't dream of doing to you... yet. I'm sure we'll have a _really _good time together..." As the voice trailed off, Tenchi felt something wrap softly around her ankle, sliding up the wraps, around and around her leg. _Oh kami... what is it? I can't- see it through my coat! It's... it feels like... a snake! But..._

The thing, whatever it was, made no sound as it slithered it's way around and around her leg, up inside her loose shorts, higher and higher up her thigh.

"_Noooooooo!"_

_* * *_

Kamisori had moved off the road to the right, into the northern forest. He had searched for a long time, had used all of the skills and knowledge he'd gained in tracking from both the Academy and his highly-skilled mother and father, but had found no trace of either Naruto or anyone else. _Am I... did I take the wrong side? Is Inoko... walking into a trap? And why'd she choose that side, anyway? She knows I'm stronger than she is- most of the time. Damn it... I have to finish here. If anything happens to Tenchi, or Inoko... _damn it!_ I don't have time to be worried- I have to find Naruto-sensei and get back to the others. I'll have to use mom's technique. Even if it hurts. I can't let my teammates be hurt just because I'm afraid of a little pain!_

The boy clenched his fists together before him, then moved fingers rapidly to form six different signs before saying firmly, "Secret Art: Hidden Adder Call!"

Kamisori then stood, quite still, for over five minutes. As he stood, a number of serpents, most small, but one as long as three feet in length, appeared before him, slithering out of the forest, up through the leaves, and down from the trees around him. He bit his thumb, hard enough to draw blood, and let some of the crimson liquid pool in his other palm before placing it, palm up, on the forest floor.

One by one, the many snakes came up to him, each flicking out one long, forked tongue to taste the blood before turning their eyes up to meet his. He bowed before them once the last had smelled the ichor, and said in a quiet voice, "Help me find my sensei. Help me protect my teammates. I don't... I don't know what I would do if they were hurt. I will pay any price you ask."

The largest snake, a green viper so ancient that it's spots and eyes were too cloudy for the young man to read, rose up on half of it's length before him to stare into his determined eyes for a moment. Then, quick as a whip, it lashed forward and sank it's long teeth into the teen's neck.

_Is it going to kill me? I... no... I can't die! I have to protect them! I... I..._

_* * *_

Inoko was furious at herself, and at Kamisori when she took off away from the other two. _I can't __believe that egotistical bastard! Just because he's a man and a year older than me, he thinks he's so much better than me at everything! And Tenchi! He follows her around like a puppy, does whatever she asks, and as soon as she's a little worried, he tries to make like a big man and solve it all himself! Well... I'll show him! I'm not a pathetic, worthless little girl! I can take care of myself! And why'd I let him get to me like that? I should have stayed with Tenchi so I could protect her- she's good at Taijutsu, but so weak! Damn it!_

"Heh... poor little lost Leaf. You're a long way from your village."

The voice was right beside her, just a little to her left and behind. Inoko didn't hesitate, out in the wilderness, even close to home, a strange voice could mean death for a shinobi. The kunai left her hand in a blur, flying with deadly accuracy.

It sunk with a wet thwack into Tenchi's throat.

"T... Tenchi! What did I- I- I'm so sorry!"

And then Tenchi vanished, replaced by a soggy mass of vines.

"Aww... did the little Leaf think she was killing her friend? Well.. that's all right. A shinobi should be prepared to do whatever the mission takes, right? Even if it's killing your own _friends and family_. Right?"

The voice was chilling, cold, but Inoko couldn't see who was speaking. There was too much foliage and underbrush around. "Sh... Sharingan!" This time, fueled by adrenaline, both eyes activated, each showing one distinct whorl. The dark-haired teen turned slowly, a kunai in each hand in a defensive stance, but even with her eyes activated, she couldn't see any chakra networks in the area.  
"Aah... that won't work on me. Sorry about that, little Leaf... I don't have any chakra to speak of."

The voice was right behind her!

She spun, but her hands were stopped mid-strike with a wrist on each of her own.

"Tch. So... you're the daughter of the last Uchiha and that Yamanaka whore? Bit weak, I think."

The man standing before her was tall, almost three feet taller than the girl, and slender, but his muscle was corded and tight. "Is this the best the new generation of Leaf shinobi has to offer? I'm... disappointed."

Inoko growled, wrenching her arms from the man's grasp and jumping back a few feet, "Who are you? How do you know who I am?"  
He shook his head slowly, a dark smile on his scarred, weathered face, "I know everything about you. Uchiha Sasuke was my lord and master. Which makes you my new mistress... if I find you worthy. Can you do what your father could? Can you do what the mission takes, and turn against your friends and allies to succeed?"

Inoko couldn't move. _He... my father did that. He fought against his best friend, tried to kill him over and over again. Anything for the mission._

"No! I'm not like him! I wouldn't ever betray my friends!"

The man smiled even wider, but the his next words chilled Inoko to the bone. "Even if your friends are the betrayers? If they turned against Konoha, would you be able to kill them?"

"I... I..."

The tall man smirked, vanished, and reappeared behind Inoko before she could react. "No... you aren't worthy. You aren't even a decent Genin, much less a strong one like your father. A shinobi should never hesitate. Whatever you decide to do, it must be _decisive_, and you mustn't look back. Your father knew that lesson. Even your mother learned, idiot that she was, after a while. But you haven't seemed to grasp it yet."

"Shut up! My father was a bastard who betrayed everything that he should have protected!"

"Heh... so he was, so he was... I won't deny that. And you're his daughter, right? You know what they say... the apple doesn't fall too far, and all that. Or is it like father, like-"

"_Shut up!_ I will _not _betray Konoha! I'll never hurt my friends like that! If my father was in front of me right now, I'd _kill him myself!_"

The man was silent for a long time while Inoko cried. After a long time, a soft, reassuring voice said, "No you wouldn't. You'd have to get through me, first. Or at least, beat me to it."

"N... Naruto-sensei?" Inoko wiped her tears away rapidly, ashamed to reveal such weakness to him.  
"It's me. Don't worry about the tears- we all do it. I cried just last night, in fact."

"But... showing emotions is a weakness! A shinobi shouldn't-"  
"Inoko, am I strong?"

"Huh? Of course you are, sensei! You're the strongest shinobi in the village!"

"Do I show my emotions?"

She froze for a moment, then nodded.

"Right. I always have, and I always will. It's not a weakness to wear your heart on your sleeve- I think it's a strength. Sure, some enemies will use it against you. Some friends, too, sometimes. But it shows you _have_ emotions, and that's what makes you human. So... it's all right. Just don't let it rule you."

Inoko nodded, and said after a little while, still trying to wipe the last of the tears from her face, "Did you... how did you escape?"

He chuckled and blushed a little, "Well, about that... see, I didn't get caught. The whole thing was a setup. This is actually a shadow clone," he said, pointing at himself, "the real me is over there somewhere, watching Tenchi's test."

"T... test?"

The clone nodded and said, "Yeah. I've been wondering something for a while, and I thought it would be best if I found out this way, that's all. So... I arranged a little test for you."

"Did... did I do well?"

He laughed and took a few steps toward her, and put his hands on her shoulders. "You did perfect, Inoko. You wouldn't betray your friends for anything. You would kill your own father to protect them. That's... I couldn't have asked for a better score."  
She sniffled again, and the clone pulled her gently into a hug. It whispered in her ear for a moment, then vanished, leaving her to sob alone for a while.

* * *

"Dumb kid."

The haze of pain and blackness kept Kamisori from focusing on the face that went with the voice, but the voice itself was quite clear. "Narut...to-sen-sei?"

"Yeah, it's me. Well, a clone, anyway. So... you'll even let yourself die to protect your allies, huh?"

Kamisori tried to speak, but couldn't get enough air passed his swollen throat to speak.

"Heh. Your mom's gonna be really mad at me. She made me promise you wouldn't ever be trained in Orochimaru's jutsu, but you just _had_ to use a snake-summoning art. But oh well... she'll have to do it now, I can't do that stuff."

The boy tried to talk again, to move one hand to his throat, but the pain was too intense.

"Oh... yeah, don't try to talk. Sakura said the antidote would only work to keep you alive- you would still have to deal with the pain. Your mother said that's the price of the snake jutsu. She told you that already, didn't she?"

Kamisori tried once more, but Naruto interrupted after only a moment, "Hey, sorry- I shouldn't ask you questions if you aren't supposed to talk. So forget about it. You passed, by the way. The test... oh, should I have said that? Oh well, doesn't matter.  
"What matters is that you have the guts to suffer for the people precious to you. And that makes you a damned fine shinobi in my book, any day. Oh... and about the poison. Don't worry... your mom's on her way to take care of it. Sorry... we're going to have to do the mission without you. But this clone will stay here until she gets to you, don't worry. I'll keep you safe.

* * *

The thing gliding up the bare skin of Tenchi's thigh was dry, smooth, but hard all the same, like a snake. And Tenchi, who had lived with bugs inside of her all of her life, detested nothing so much as snakes. When she screamed, the snake- or whatever it was- vanished at once. Instead, rough, strong hands grabbed her from behind. They weren't kind, and there was more than two. She was thrown on the ground, one set of strong arms twisted themselves under her armpits and across her chest, pressed up against the bottom of her breasts, and the other, larger set grabbed her thighs, hard enough to make the young shinobi cry out in pain.  
"Heh, little one's got nice legs," the man at Tenchi's feet said, his voice uncultured and loud, "Soft and white. Won't be so white after we're done, right Kankudo?"

The man by her head gave a short bark of a laugh, and replied, "Nope. Be black and blue- like the rest of her. Come on, Tamari, we gotta get her back to the hut before she's missed, or we won't get any play time!"

Both men gave short, loud laughs, and began to carry the woman off into the forest.

She tried to scream once, but as soon as her mouth opened, one of Kankudo's hands yanked up a piece of her coat so hard it ripped off, and stuffed it into her mouth. "There ya go, little one. No good if we let you call help, right? No one gets to save you from us. We want you _all_ to ourselves!"

Now completely panicking, Tenchi's eyes spun desperately, looking for any solution, any way out of her situation. The bulge in the larger man at her feet's pants as he walked made it perfectly clear what their intentions were- her worst fear, coming true._ Kamisori! Inoko! Naruto-sensei! Help me!_

But when the two men had carried her what felt like hours into the forest, the one by her head, whom she still hadn't seen, used the same arm he'd gagged her with to reach behind himself and open a door. _We're... at their hut. They're going to... oh Kami, they're going to rape me over and... and they'll probably kill me! I'll never get to see Kamisori... or Inoko... or mom and dad, or... or..._

The shinobi's brain shut down, paralyzed with fear.

Over her, the two men were having a short, impassioned argument as to who would be first.  
"I spotted her, so I got dibs!"  
"Yeah, but I carried most of her weight! Besides, you got that nice view up her coat all the way here!"

"That's so, but that got me more worked up than you are! And you got to check out her pretty, white boobies too!"

_Oh... Kami... Maybe they'll get into a fistfight and I can use that as a distraction!_

But Tenchi had no such luck. The two had decided it with a simple game of rock-paper-scissors.

The larger man cheered as he moved back over to Tenchi, towering over where she cringed on the small, lumpy bed. "Ah, such a sweet little girl. Won't be a girl much longer though, will you? Like he said, we know all about what goes on in your head. You should be happy a big, strong man like me's gonna be your first!"

He grabbed her thighs again, wrenching them apart, and Tenchi cried out in pain- but the pain brought with it clarity.

Her face went dead calm, and the two men were taken aback by the threat in her voice, "Take your hands off me. If you touch me again, I swear you'll die."

The two men glanced at one another, and the big man let out a guffaw. "Shinobi? Psh. We're both rogue ninja ourselves. We can handle a little Genin all on her own. Especially a weak one like you!" His hands tightened on her soft thighs, but she didn't wince even as the calloused hands began to grind their way up higher.

Instead, the beetles that nested inside the young woman were flooding out through the tiny holes they maintained.

The big man screamed, wrenching his hands away when he noticed, but it was too late- the insects were on him, and they would be relentless. Short of him diving into a fire, there was no way he would survive unless Tenchi called them off. _And judging by his smell, that would just make him burn faster!_

The other man cowered, his painted face showing terror as the teen got up off the bed, standing before him. He raised his arms to protect his face as she raised her own to let loose another bunch of insects, but a quiet, familiar voice came from him instead of the one she'd heard earlier.  
"Enough, Tenchi."

She paled visibly, her already-white skin- what little of it that showed- turning almost bone-white. "Naruto-sensei?"

The man behind her stopped screaming and vanished with a puff of white smoke, the one before her suddenly transforming into her sensei and standing up to appraise her coolly.

"You did pass... barely. But you had a much harder test, too, so I can't complain."

"T... t... test?!" She was screaming hysterically, and didn't even care, "You were going to _rape_ me?! And it was just a _test?!_"

He didn't show any emotion at all on his face, but the pain in his eyes was very real- and that was the only thing that calmed the teenage girl down enough to listen to what he had to say.  
"Yes, a test. And no, I wouldn't have raped you. You know better than that. Though if you'd let it get much farther, you wouldn't have passed at all."

"You... you... my cousin is going to _kill_ you!"

"No he won't. This whole thing was Shino's idea," Naruto answered, taking a seat at the grungy table, "He told me you were too soft to be an effective ninja. That you worried too much about things like... Kamisori. Like popularity, things like that."

She froze, but her face still showed only fury. "How dare you! You don't know what I-"

"I don't think I was wrong, was I? I don't know everything in your head. I'm not a mind-reader. But Sakura-chan and Ino-san were the same way at your age. I hate to say this... but with the danger we went through back then, I'm amazed either of them pulled it together in time to keep themselves- and us- alive. That's why I agreed to this test- I didn't want to, at first."

"You... Shino put you up to this?"

The blond nodded, and explained, "Yeah- he wanted me to test how you'd react in a situation where you had no control, where it was do or die. This was the closest I could come up with without being thrown off a cliff. That's what happened to me."

"And... and I passed?"

He nodded again, and said, "It's not wrong to have emotions. It's not wrong to love, or even lust. Infatuation is just fine, I don't care how much you feel of anything for Kamisori. What matters is that, when it comes down to it, your priority is the mission. And to protect your teammates. Because without them, any mission is meaningless."

Tenchi, still crying through her fading anger, didn't say anything.

"So... the other two are done with their tests, too. Kamisori's going to live, but he'll be dropping out of the mission. Inoko is all right. So I need to ask you... are you up for this?"  
"What... what do you mean, sensei?"

He sighed and looked away, his gaze on an old photograph sitting on the table beside the tiny bed, "I need to know if you're okay to continue the mission. Inoko and I can do it alone if we need to. I... I'm sorry I was so hard on you, that you had to go through this, but... I really couldn't think of another way, and I'm sorry. But if it hurts... if you don't want to do the mission, if you need some time alone, or even if you... want to change teams, that's okay. I just need to know so I can plan."

"I don't want to be weak."

His gaze was back on her wet face at once. "Tenchi... it's not weak to feel pain. If I was you... I'd hate me right now. I would understand if you don't want to be on a team with me, or even a mission."

The one thing on the table was a fork, old and pitted with rust. She flung it at him, and he didn't even try to dodge. It struck him, tine-first, on the right cheek, where it left three red dots of blood as it fell to the ground.

"_I do hate you! You... you... damn you! But I have a mission to do! I'm a shinobi of the Leaf! I won't __give up just because... because..._"

He nodded slowly, making no move to touch his bleeding face, "I understand. Congratulations... now you _really_ pass. I had to make sure you wouldn't break. I'm sorry- I really am."

The girl jumped up, flinging the table across the room as she did, and screamed, "You're_ sorry?! You aren't the one whose own sensei betrayed her trust in the worst... the worst..._"

"No, you're right. I'm not. But I _am_ the one who had to do that... knowing how it would be for you. Like I said, I am sorry... I wish there was more I could say, but..."

"I'm going home."

Naruto nodded, and said as she stormed the few steps to the door, "I understand- you still pass. This would be too much for anyone. I'm going to... burn this place down before I leave. I don't need it as a refuge anymore, and it has... nothing but bad memories, now."

The tone of his voice and words combined to penetrate the fog of pain and betrayal in the young woman's mind, and least a little. "... refuge?"

Behind her, he nodded, "Yeah. I used to come here when I was little. It was a long walk, but out here no one in the village would glare at me, or shout at me, or tell me to stay away from their kids. It was the only place I had to be in the quiet, until I got my apartment."

"And you... you gave that up for... for a stupid test?"

She hadn't turned around, so she didn't see him shake his head, only heard his words, "No. I gave it up for my student. For my teammate. To help her get stronger. If it works... it will have been worth it. And if it doesn't... well... at least I tried. I couldn't give up on you, so..."

She stormed off then, not saying a word.

After a few minutes, Naruto stood up from the lonely chair and stepped outside. He then activated the hidden tag he'd placed the day before, and watched as the building went up in flames at once. "Ah well... guess I'd better get back to Inoko."


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 27**

Tracking down the bandit hideout was, for Naruto, significantly easier than having to test his students in such a way. Inoko, though, seemed to truly not be bothered to know her own weaknesses. Instead, the young girl seemed determined to surpass them, even turn them into strengths, and all this without a word from himself. _I'm so damned proud of you, Inoko. Kamisori is scared, now... and Tenchi almost broke forever. But you rose above both of them, and you keep going up._

Naruto dropped down onto the branch beside the hidden young woman without a sound, and she jumped to feel it vibrate under her feet. "Sensei!" she said breathlessly, "I haven't seen anyone enter or leave. But I never would have thought bandits would actually make a cave their home!"

He shrugged, "Not the first time I've seen it. It's big, convenient, and doesn't take a lot of work to make livable- and it's naturally camouflaged. I couldn't find any other exits, so it looks like if we go in together, we can keep them from escaping."

The girl nodded, swallowing hard, "I'm ready, sensei."

He gave her an appraising look and answered, "Yes, I think you are- but you don't need to kill them today. We're just capturing, remember?"

Once again she gulped, but this time it was more relaxed, "So... isn't a capture order harder to do than a kill order?"  
"Yeah... but not a lot. If I had to, I could just bring them all down myself without killing them with an Earth jutsu I learned a while back. But this is a mission for you, too, so you need to help out. Even if it puts you in danger. Sorry."

"No," she said, smiling and shaking her head, "I understand- and I want to help. You were my father's best friend, and now I can see why. If only... he'd been more like you, in the end."

"I think... when he confronted us that day, he really did want to die. At least, that's what I want to believe. Maybe he'd had enough. Who knows? Anyway... let's get going. There's only six of them, and none seem to be shinobi. Shouldn't be too hard. The leader is supposed to be a good fighter though, so leave him to me if you can."

"Hai, sensei," the black-haired girl answered, and the two leapt off the branch as one.

Beside him, Naruto's student activated the low-level Sharingan mid-way through the jump, and he was proud again to see both eyes turn red without hesitation. _She really is Sasuke's daughter- she took a little longer to get it going, but she didn't have monsters like Zabuza and Haku to fight against, either. She might even be better at it than he was._

"Two, sensei- one right, one left, both behind rocks."

"Right. I have left."

They split as soon as they landed, even though they were on loose rocks from a long-ago rock slide, there was almost no noise from either of them.

Naruto's fist connected with his opponent's jaw, sending the man flying into the cave wall, where he struck it a few feet up and slid down to the floor, unmoving. He spun at once, ready to assist is teammate, but she was moving fluidly, with a grace he hadn't seen in training.

_Wow... so fast, and smooth. I wonder if she could beat Li with all the training that kid's gotten through?_

Before him, the woman bent backwards like a reed, the man's sword flashing through the space her neck would have been. But there was no fear on Inoko's face, instead it was alight with laughter, though she made no sound. Using the momentum of her back-bend, she kept going into a back-flip, one foot catching the man between the legs. There was a soft crunch, and he fell to the floor with his eyes screwed shut, clutching himself.

"Good job, Inoko," Naruto winced, "But did you have to do it _that_ way?" He stepped forward with ginger steps, feeling sympathetic pain himself, to gag and bind both men.

"All right, any more nearby?"

Inoko wiped a bit of sweat from her brow, and turned her red eyes down further into the cave. "Four more- looks like the last of them. One's a bit further, might be the leader."

"Probably. Listen... your eyes are useful, but don't rely too much on them, okay? I could keep up with Sasuke if I tried hard enough, and Kakashi-sensei- even though he had a Sharingan too- couldn't match your father's speed in the end. So use it, but don't _only_ use it. You know?"

The girl looked up into the grave blue eyes of her sensei, and nodded.

"Right. Let's go then, I still have left- and leave the leader to me."

There must have been some silent signal, some alarm tripped, because when Inoko and Naruto reached the last, larger room of the cave, the enemy was ready for them. Each had just started to rise when arrows came whizzing from the darkness toward them.

The first cut through Inoko's black ponytail as she ducked back behind the rock, the third and fourth went wide, shattering on the stone behind them. The second stopped an inch from the blond ninja's right eye, clutched in is hand. He hadn't shown any sign of flinching, had only reached out and plucked the thing from the air.

"Good shot," he called down into the depths of the cave, "too slow, though," he flexed, and the narrow shaft of wood splintered.

"You can't catch 'em all, y'only gots two hands!" The voice was high for a man, but it did indeed sound like one, and all four bowstrings twanged almost as one.

Inoko looked over at her sensei in sudden fear, knowing they were right. As fast as Naruto was...

But he didn't look afraid, only determined. He raised one hand in the universal sign of 'stop', and said firmly, "Air Jutsu: Windwall!"

All four arrows were caught by the invisible gust, that was blowing straight downwards. The shafts of two broke, the head of another, but one arrow was left intact, if a little scratched.

"All right, play time's over. You guys can surrender now if you want, or we can come in and get you," Naruto called to the bandits, and then quieter to his student, who was looking at him with amazed eyes, "You ready to go in, Inoko?"

She didn't answer his question, only asked, "How many jutsu do you _know_, sensei?"

"Not as many as Kakashi-sensei did. You ready, or should I go in first to cover you?"

This time the girl caught his meaning, and scowled up at him, "I don't need you to cover me! I may be young, but I'm still a ninja!"

"Glad to hear it," he replied, smiling at the memories those words brought up, "I'll take the left two, you take the right one- remember to leave the one in back alone if you can."

She nodded, and the two were up and moving in the darkness before the enemy had drawn back their bows.

Time stretched for the young girl. It took her an hour to make the fifteen running strides that brought her to her opponent. This man, like the two outside, was fairly clean-cut, but had a number of scars- most light- on his face. Her Sharingan picked out other details, as well. His chakra network, while feeble, was active- which meant that he might be able to use some low-level jutsu. _Just something to watch for. He wouldn't be able to graduate the Academy like that, I should be okay._

Her fist whipped toward the bottom of his nose, but somehow the man had seen the attack coming in time to lean back just enough that she missed, though she felt some of his long hair catch her hand as it went by. That thirty-second punch complete, Inoko used the momentum of her haymaker and running to put herself into a spin, unleashing a whirling backhand with her left.

Like before, the man dodged, but this time it was even closer. The kunoichi tried one more time, still accelerating, but this time instead of a fist, it was her instep she struck the man's knee with.

His hands went from guarding his face to is leg over the course of seventeen seconds, which Inoko had time to count off one at a time. _The world sure is slow._

She also had time to look down and analyze the damage she'd done. _He'll never walk on that knee again without an amazing medic. I can see bone coming out all over. Did I really hit him that hard?_

But the girl's training had kicked in. While she was young, barely even able to be called a teen, she had been training her whole life for situations like this- and it was in her blood. Remorse, doubt, hesitation, sympathy at the pain she herself had caused, were swept aside at once, bottled up to- maybe- be let out later. For now, there was only the fight.

And she was relentless.

Her opponent's half-crouch, his eyes on the ruins of his left leg and mouth open in a scream Inoko couldn't hear, _That's weird... I can see everything, but there's no noise_, the young woman let loose with the same leg, this time it arced upward and caught the man's chin, throwing him onto his back, where he screamed again. She rushed over to him- that only about thirty seconds- and delivered another kick to the side of his head. _It didn't move as much as I thought it would. I have to kick him harder before he recovers!_

And so she did, until her sensei put a calming hand on her shoulder.

"Inoko, he's dead. I saw his head hit a rock, punched right into the back. He was dead as soon as he hit the ground."

At once, all the tension and adrenaline fled, leaving the girl weak-kneed and crying. She spun into Naruto's arms and wailed. His arms enfolded her for a moment, but after a little he said, "The leader got away while we were fighting. I have to go after him. Will you be okay for a few minutes?"

She sniffed, and tried to pull herself together against the crushing despair. "I... I think so. You'd better hurry, sensei."

He let her go then, sparing a last look back at her as he dashed toward the distant, reflected light from the entrance.

_I killed someone. Oh Kami, I'm only eleven and I killed someone... this isn't... it isn't right! I shouldn't have to be dealing with this! I should be laughing, talking about what boys I like with my friends, crying because he doesn't like me back, not... not... being a murderer!_

It was impossible, there was no way she could maintain her sanity at that moment. The girl shattered, leaving behind only the deepest of pain.

* * *

It took almost thirty minutes for Naruto to return, and he was still cleaning blood off the long kunai he favored for close combat when he stepped slowly into the cavern, now carrying a torch from the wall. "Inoko?"

He hesitated a moment before heading over to her, but then sat beside her, pulling her up onto his lap and holding her close. She was dead to the world, though each eye- still in the Sharingan state- was half-open. "It's going to be okay, Inoko. It's always hard the first time- and it doesn't get any easier, but you deal with it better. And we still love you, we always will. You don't have to worry about that."

She didn't make any sign she'd heard, but Naruto knew better. _Don't worry, don't worry, Inoko... you're tougher than you think, or you wouldn't have passed my test. That was the whole point, anyway, to make sure you were ready for this. And you are, more ready than you can know right now. Even though you're still so young..._

The dreams Naruto had were cold, filled with snow and ice as he hunted, and was hunted by, ninja in the Land of Snow. Most of the scenes and images were snatches of memory from his missions there. But one memory in particular took up all of his semi-conscious state as he woke up slowly. The actress Kazahana Koyuki, best known for her role as Princess Gale, was kissing him as he lay in a hospital bed, surrounded by her other fans. _She picked me! Hee hee!_

_But wait... someone really _is_ kissing me!_

"Ko...yuki?"

There wasn't any response, but he could feel hands gliding up his back and tangling themselves in his hair. "Hinata? Sakura?"

"No, sensei," the soft voice replied, and Inoko pressed her lips against his again.

His senses came back in a rush, and he sat up quickly, his arms on the girl's shoulders, pushing her gently away. "Inoko, stop."

"But... sensei, I... I just _don't want to feel this any more! Make me forget!_"

He pulled her in again, and she dove eagerly forward, but he caught her head with his hand, forcing it into the crook of his neck, "Inoko... I can't make you forget. Nothing will. I'm sorry, it's just something... you're going to have to deal with."

"No!" she cried, her voice muffled by his jacket, "I know you can make me! Sakura-sensei was so worried, so sad, and then she spent the night with you and- everything was better! Mom and Lee, too! And I- I-" She stammered, and he could feel her cheek heating against his neck.

_Kami, was I so blind at that age? No wonder Sakura wouldn't let me get close to her._ "Inoko, that's not the way. That... that's something for people who really, truly love each other. Not us."

"But _sensei_, I _do_ love you! I have for... a long time!"

_Aww shit._

"Inoko..." he began again with a sigh, "no, you don't. I'm sorry, this is going to sound really cruel and heartless, but... you just don't know what that kind of love is. Your heart and brain haven't grown enough to understand it. But one day you'll meet someone who you _really_ love, and you'll look back at this crush and laugh yourself silly over it. And you'll be _very_ grateful I'm saying no now, no matter how much you think you hate me for doing it."

"Sensei, you _jerk_!" the girl screamed, launching herself upright to stand over him- her head was perhaps three inches higher than his- then spun away, running out of the cave.

He listened intently, and heard her stop just outside, the echoes of her sobs carrying far into the cavern. He sighed again and picked himself up off the cold stone to examine the cavern again for their report.

It had taken over an hour, but Inoko was still sniffling when he reached her. "Come on, kiddo," he said, and waited for her to start to move.  
"I'm _not_ a kid anymore. I'm a killer, and I just tried to seduce my sensei, and I _failed_, and he told me off, and told me I was just some immature little-"

"Stop, Inoko," the blond interrupted, "I said no such thing. Yes, you have killed, but you are not a killer. Those men were _evil_, preying on the weak and defenseless. You saved a lot of lives by killing that one, and that does not make you a bad person. And about... the... umm... other stuff... well... it wasn't that long ago that I did the same sort of thing."

Her eyes widened, and his did too when he realized just what he'd implied, so he gushed out, "No! Not like that, not with Kakashi-sensei... with Sakura-chan, and... well..."

Inoko tried hard to laugh, but it only came out as a hiccup.

"Listen," he said, putting an arm over her shoulder, pushing her into walking slowly beside him, "I know it sounds crazy right now, but I meant what I said. You'll look back on this and think it's the silliest thing you've ever done. But I promise, I _do_ love you, just not that way. I know in a lot of ways you aren't a kid any more... you're probably the most mature of my students. But your hormones are _just_ starting to kick in, and it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better. You just have to... use control. I know you can do it."

There was silence except for the sounds of the forest and their footfalls for a long time.

Then the girl looked up at her sensei and said, "How come you wanted us out of there so fast? You usually like to relax after a mission."

"A couple of reasons. I didn't think you needed to be around the bodies anymore," he began, his matter-of-fact tone sounding callous though it actually reassured the girl, "And we need to get back to town fast. Those weren't just any bandits."

* * *

"Sakura-chan," her indigo-haired mate asked softly, "do you think Naruto-kun will be back soon?"

She thought about it a moment, gazing upwards at the clouds, "Probably. He likes to be lazy after a mission, but as eager as he usually is to get going, they're probably on their way back now, and Tsunade-sama said it wasn't far away."

"Good," Hinata said, twining their arms together at the elbow, "I miss him."

Sakura laughed and said, "It's only been a day, Hinata... am I that boring, I can't keep you company?"

The shorter woman smiled up into Sakura's green eyes and answered softly, "It's not that... I just want us to be together again. And give him our surprise."

That sent both women into a fit of giggles that had the people in the market staring, and one old, crotchety woman muttering something about how the young people these days don't know how to act their age.

* * *

"Lady Tsunade, Naruto is here to give his report."

"Thank you, Kodan, send him in."

Tsunade wrapped up her meeting with the Master Carpenter who was overseeing construction of a new wing of the hospital before even looking at Naruto and Inoko. When she turned her eyes on him, though, they were as hard and cold as ice. "Shizune, clear the whole tower, please. Everyone is getting an hour lunch break, starting _now_."

The medic leapt up at once to obey, and her master stared down the blond Jonin for ten more minutes before she heard the door far below slam shut twice in she and Shizune's pre-arranged signal. "Naruto, Inoko, your report- and make it fast."

He relayed the barest details of the mission at first, but when he reached the actual attack on the cave, he went into high detail, making sure Tsunade was aware of every detail that had led him to his earlier conclusion. In calm, measured tones, he also described- from his point of view- the emotional trauma the teammate standing beside him had gone through, and to her intense relief, skipped over the part about her trying to seduce him completely.

"Mercenaries."

He nodded and replied, "That's what I thought. Probably hired by Iwa to destabilize us, find out what they can, you know... the usual."

Tsunade nodded, and asked, "Inoko, do you have anything further to report?"

The girl jumped, but shook her head and said, "No, Hokage-sama. I... no, there's nothing."

Tsunade stood slowly then, her palms flat on the desk, and looked back over to Naruto, giving him a look that could have killed a lesser man. "Then I suppose I can't trust either of you to tell me the whole truth now, can I? For instance, why _two_ of your teammates were sent home before you even reached the mission sight, one of whom went straight to the ICU, and the other into severe emotional trauma?"

Naruto gulped, and Inoko almost passed out. She swayed on her feet, and that gave the older man the distraction he needed to finally look away from the terror standing before him. He scooped her up in a smooth motion and sat her on the couch, then, bravely returned to stand before the old woman.

"Lady Tsunade, Hokage-sama," he began, but she cut him off with a slash of her hand.

"Don't give me that crap, Naruto! No amount of being proper in your speech is going to get you out of this. Tell me _what possessed you to do that to them?!_"

He didn't hesitate in his answer, so Tsunade knew he'd been expecting this for a long time, maybe since he'd begun to plan it- if he planned it at all. "It was a test, Obaa-chan," dropping any pretense of being polite, though he still stood at attention before her, "I wanted to see if they were emotionally and mentally ready to put their lives on the line for each other. I needed to know as their sensei and captain."

Still glaring, Tsunade said, "I can understand that. And yet you spared Inoko? You put Kamisori in a position where he would _have_ to choose between using the snake jutsu- that are _forbidden for a reason_, or risk losing his team. You fooled Tenchi into thinking she'd be brutally _raped_, Naruto! What were you _thinking?!_"

He didn't gulp this time, though his eyes darkened considerably, "I... went too far, I know. I didn't think Kamisori would go that far, I thought he'd summon Pakkun or something. I figured he'd know how, since Kakashi... and with Tenchi, I... I only wanted to scare her into action, to break her out of hesitating. But she... she wouldn't move, so I had to keep going, keep pushing it. I know I went too far, and I'm sorry. It won't happen again. As for Inoko... she was tested too."

"You're right, Naruto," the Hokage said, sitting down at last, "It won't happen again. I'm taking Tenchi off your team. I think I'm going to disband your team all together. Your intentions sound good, but you aren't ready for this."

He stiffened, but didn't say anything except, "If that's your decision, I will stand by it."

"It is."

And then Inoko yelled, "No! You can't! Naruto-sensei was right about all of us! I... we were weak, but he showed us all how to be strong. We wouldn't be good ninja if it weren't for what he taught us, no matter how long we trained!"

"Thank you, Inoko," Naruto said, not looking at her, "but it's all right. She's the Hokage, it's her choice to make. I loved them time I spent with all of you, and I know you'll be excellent shinobi even without my training- maybe because of it."

"But sensei!"

"I'm not your sensei any more, kiddo," he said, still refusing to turn toward her. His eyes were fixed just above Tsunade's head, and it wasn't hard for the old woman to see that tears of anger and frustration were running freely down his cheeks. His voice was totally normal though. _His control has gotten really good... for them, at least. He can't show them he's weak. Stupid boy._

"I'll reconsider it," Tsunade said at last, "but my decision may well stand. Until you hear my final word, the four of you are not to meet- even just two of you. No training, no friendly visits, nothing. You are not going to be allowed to see Kamisori in the hospital, either. He's going to live, and that's all you need to know for now."

Naruto nodded, and Tsunade dismissed them both. He walked out firmly, but he made the mistake of turning toward Inoko as he did so, and she caught a glimpse of his face as he passed.

"Hokage-sama," she asked quietly after the door had shut behind him, "he _loves_ you... how could you do that to him?"

The old woman sighed sadly, and choked out, "I did it _because_ I love him, too. Sometimes we have to hurt those we care the most about to help them grow."

"And... that's just what he did, right?"

Tsunade froze, the corners of her mouth twitching with a tiny, tiny grin- and surprise. But that didn't stop her next words from coming out just as she'd planned. "Now... calm down, please. I need you to _think_, not feel for a minute."

The girl nodded, and did her best to control her breathing. It was a long time before the older woman spoke.

"Your test was painful, I assume. Anko told me a little about what was going on, and I know Naruto well enough to know he would have tailored the tests to each of you, and would have made them difficult- but not so much so that you couldn't come through in one piece. Since I know what happened to Tenchi, and most of what he did with Kamisori, I can guess a lot of what he put you through."  
When Tsunade took a breath, Inoko nodded, but said nothing.

"So... what I'm getting at is... was it worth it? Was the pain and agony, the suffering, worth the growth you've experienced because of it?"

Inoko was quiet for a while as well, thinking hard about her answer. "Not yet, Hokage-same," she said at last, "but we aren't done learning from it, either. I think... I think it will be for the best in the end. Naruto-sensei... well, you know him better than I do. But I... I wouldn't choose any other sensei, ever."  
"So much for just thinking, huh?" Tsunade asked quietly, and Inoko blushed a little.

"I... well, I did feel... but I thought, too. Is both good enough?"

Tsunade's brown eyes rolled. "Yeah, I guess. Look... I know you are pretty young, and young people shouldn't have to do what you've been through. But you chose to be a ninja, and that's what we do. So... if you need anything, advice, help, whatever, you come to me or your mother, okay?"  
The girl nodded, then changed the subject at once, sensing that her time with the Hokage was drawing to a close, "Tsunade-hime... what good would it do Iwa to hire mercenaries to pose as bandits?"

"Good question. When you figure it out, let me know, will you?" the reply was almost rueful.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 28**

"No, Hokage-sama," the silver-haired boy said, "I want to stay with Naruto-sensei."

The old woman looked toward the boy's violet-haired mother for a moment, and responded carefully, "Even if it means being separated from Tenchi?"

He was quiet for a bit, but answered in a low, mature-sounding voice, "If that's what it takes. I like spending time with her, but Naruto-sensei helped both of us realize that what we feel isn't really 'love', so... I'll take the pain of separation from her if it'll help me get stronger."

Anko spoke for the first time since she'd come into his hospital room, "'sori... I didn't want this for you. This path... it's not an easy one."

The teen's eyes turned to his mother, and he said firmly, "No, it's not. But it's the path I chose. I knew what I was doing back then in the forest, and I don't regret it. It's just pain. What's that, compared to the lives I can protect if I become strong because of the Snake Path?"

She nodded, standing and placing a hand on is shoulder to give it a gentle, loving squeeze, and started walking toward the door slowly.

"Hokage-sama..."

The old woman answered the young man's question before it had finished forming in his mind, "I haven't talked to Tenchi yet, so I don't know what she wants. Inoko also wants to stay with Naruto."

He blinked, and gave her a weak grin.

"I've got some good news for both of you," Tsunade said, stopping Anko with her hand on the door, "The poison's worked itself out of your system. In two days you'll have enough chakra to go home, and the day after that, resume training- though lightly for a couple more days."

Tsunade stopped Anko again a little ways down the hall and pulled her into a nearby supply closet. "Anko- are you up to this? Your son has the talent to carry the Serpent's Contract. Do you have the will to teach him?"

The younger woman looked away for a moment, staring hard at stack of brooms and mops before she said, "I hate to see him hurt so much."

The Hokage responded quietly, her brown eyes searching the other's as she spoke, "You know that the path Orochimaru set you on isn't the true path, right? He chose it because of the power it could give him over life and death. Snakes are a symbol of wisdom and healing, not a symbol of death- at least they used to be. And they could be again, starting with Kamisori."

The dango-lover was silent for a long time, then asked, "My son- could be a healer?"

Tsunade nodded, "Maybe not as good as the best, but good enough. And with the Snake Path's knowledge of anatomy and poisons... he could be exceptional, if he works hard."

"What... what would it take? What price would he have to pay?"

Tsunade shrugged, "You'd know that better than me. I know there's always a price on the Snake, but that's about all I know about it. My advice? Teach him everything you can. And let him decide what's worth using and what's not. When he makes Chunin, I'll leave instructions to Naruto to hand him over to Sakura or Shizune for training. And of course, I'll talk to them about how to adapt the Snake Techniques- as much as I can, any way."

The young looked at the older woman for a moment, her expression still very serious, "So it's true, then? You're retiring?"

The blond nodded gravely, "Yes. I want to spend more time with my new family... and every day I have to put up with the stress of this job is cutting my life shorter and shorter."

Anko nodded, her expression resolute, "How long?"

This time, it was the older who looked away, unwilling to meet the intense stare of the younger, "Maybe two and a half years, now. Maybe- _maybe_ three. If I don't do active jutsu duty anymore, and stick to my no-sake diet."

The Hokage was surprised, to say the least, when the other woman's arms went around her. It only took a moment for her to adapt, though, returning the hug, "It's all right, Anko... I've led a good life. The only thing I regret is not being able to stay here a little longer."

The woman whispered something in her ear, then left the closet in a rush.

_What did she mean? I won't let you die? What's that about? Since when does Anko have any sort of special feelings for me, anyway? I mean, her son, I can understand. But... me?_

* * *

Naruto was listless. And both kunoichi knew why- at least most of the reasons- they just couldn't do much about it.

"Naruto, come on," Sakura pleaded, tugging on his arm, "I have to go... how long are you going to mope like this?"

His blue eyes looked up at her for just a moment, then back down at the floor, and he said, "I'm not moping... I'm worried. How would you feel if Obaa-chan wanted to take your team away?"

She dropped his arm at once to kneel before him on the couch, and said softly, "I'd be devastated, and you know it. But this isn't like you. If you don't want her to _do_ it, then show her what kind of team leader you are!

"Sakura-chan is right, Naruto-kun. You shouldn't be so depressed over this- you should do what you always do, and prove you were right to do it!"

The man was quiet for a long time, but almost at once Hinata noticed that his breathing was becoming more regular with each exhalation.

"T... thanks, Sakura, Hinata. I needed that. I'm going to go- see my team." He stood quickly almost throwing Hinata, who'd been leaning against him, to the other end of the couch with the force of it. "I'll see you two for dinner, all right?"

"It'll be ready at six, Naruto-kun," Hinata breathed, relief evident through her voice and body.

Sakura grinned at last, gave each of them a hasty good-bye kiss, and was out the door before Naruto started moving.

The clones he'd created to gather his team had been dispatched just ten minutes ago, but when Naruto arrived at Training Field Six, the young man and youngest girl of his team were already there, waiting. They didn't look like they were talking, just sitting there in silence. But their faces showed only resolve.

"So... glad you guys came," Naruto began lamely, scratching the back of his head, "I... you guys know we're going to be in a lot of trouble for this, right?"

Kamisori nodded, turning his eyes away from his sensei, but Inoko only grinned at him, "It's all right, Sensei. We know what we're doing."

"Umm... all right then. Let's give Tenchi a couple more minutes... if she doesn't come by then, we'll need to move. She might tell someone else where we're meeting."

Just then, the distant clone vanished, and it's memories flooded into Naruto's mind. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them he was already saying, "She's coming. But she isn't alone. I'm so dead. You guys... might want to clear off for a bit."

It didn't take long. Shino lead the pack, flanked on either side by his and his cousin's fathers, the girl herself right behind them. He could just make out her devastated expression behind the larger, cloaked and hooded men. He was already shaking, anticipation of either a fight or a slaughter- on which side he couldn't be sure- making his adrenaline go into overdrive. But he stood his ground before what seemed like every Aburame shinobi.

They stopped as one, ten feet from Naruto. _No doubt Shino told them they'd lose if they closed._

"What you did to my cousin was reprehensible, Uzumaki. I don't know if I can forgive you."

The words sounded just like every other his friend spoke- measured, controlled. Not emotionless, far from it, just... kept under control.

"I know. I let it go too far, and I'm sorry. I know that doesn't make it better, so I'll... submit to your punishment. If Tenchi wants to leave the team, that's... I'll abide by it. If you want to kill me, I will have to fight back, though. There are too many people counting on me."

* * *

The report came into her office in Konohamaru's hands, and the young man was panting with exertion. "Obaa-chan," he said breathlessly, "I was out with Moegi and Udon, and we saw... we saw... forty-three shinobi, they looked like they were Aburame. They were heading for the training fields, and they looked _pissed_. Do you know-"

His words were cut off by Tsunade's enraged scream, "_Narutoooo!"_

She was out the window before she'd finished yelling, and the young man was further stunned to see the woman- whose age he was fully aware of, despite her efforts to the contrary- move with such speed. _Wow, the Boss is really gonna get it now._

_* * *_

"Sensei... are you really going to fight them all?"

He shrugged, not looking back at the young man, "If I have to. But if they can restrain themselves, I'll let them punish me all they want short of death or permanent injury."

Shino, apparently spokesperson for the mob, who had now surrounded the trio completely and were standing, unmoving, behind their black shades, suddenly reached back for his cousin's arm and pulled her forward.

She protested and fought, but he was undoubtedly stronger.

"Look at her, Uzumaki. Look what you _did_ to my _cousin_!"

And he did. She was disheveled, it looked like she hadn't brushed her long, black hair since she'd gotten back from the 'test'. Her makeup- usually applied only lightly, but with great care- was crusty and smeared, especially around her eyes. There were lines of clearer spots, which darkened to black as they got further down running down her cheeks, off each side, and around her nose. The girl's lips were normally hidden behind her coat- the same style her cousin wore- but it was open today, and he could see that she'd practically gnawed her lower lip off worrying at it so. In fact, it was still bleeding.

But it was her eyes that hurt the most.

_Betrayal. Yeah, I know what that looks like. Hate... yeah, that's there. Pain, oh yeah. But there's something I don't see... _

_Denial._

_She has accepted it happened._

_She knows how weak she really is._

_Now we just... have to show her the rest._

"And...?"

They would never know how much it cost him to be so cold.

The fist that flew toward his face was nothing, nothing at all, to that pain. It jerked his head around, but he straightened back up at once, ready for another. "If you're going to punish me, you'd better go all out. I can't even feel that any more."

The knee connected with his stomach just before he heard Inoko's gasp of shock and fear, then there was nothing. He was doubled over when he heard them moving, taking a collective step back. Three of the Aburame behind him pulled his students away, two on Kamisori and one on Inoko, _Heh, should be the other way around_, and he knew what was coming.

"Fine. Just remember what I said- if you go to far, I _will_ fight back. Too many people need me."

His heightened senses showed Naruto things he wouldn't normally have noticed. A tall, blond woman in a long, green coat had stopped on the far side of the clearing. She was watching impassively. _Good. Now you can see I'm serious, at least._

He could hear the low drone of insects as they began to leave their living hives.

The shinobi counted the seconds until the swarm had completely surrounded him. The only place he wasn't covered were the soles of his feet.

There was a distant sound, it took a lot of effort to pick it out through the beetle's noise, "Ready, Uzumaki?"

_Heh... he still asks._

"Do it, Shino," he said, thankful that no bugs were directed into his mouth and nose while he spoke.

The effect was noticeable at once. He staggered, all his strength leaving him.

_How many bugs _are_ they using? Damn... if they keep going, I won't be _able_ to fight back. But I have to... I have to trust them. I deserve it, anyway._

It took a long time before he finally collapsed to his knees, but still the draining assault didn't leave him.

_They're not stopping. How much are they..._

He was starting to black out. This was more exhausting than using his most chakra-consuming jutsu a dozen times, and it took that much every few seconds. _I... hope they stop soon. Sakura and Hinata... and Tsunade, and..._

Images of the village, all the people he loved, flashed through his mind.

_So many people I have to protect._

The bugs were growing insistent, glutted on his chakra, but they still didn't stop their feeding frenzy.

_Enough!_

The jutsu he'd been preparing for was difficult, but it wasn't really chakra-intensive, he should still have had enough. But as soon as the energy was gathered, it was leeched away by another swarm of insects that had been held back.

_Damn it... I have to..._

And then there was silence and darkness.

* * *

"Can't believe you, acting like a bunch of children. You could have done him serious injury!" _Was that... Tsunade?_

"No, I don't care! It doesn't make her pain go away, does it? All you did was hurt him for nothing. It's a damned good thing he's strong, or I'd take your family _down_, do you hear me? Now... get out of here and go home. Tenchi- you stay. You too, Shino." _Wow, she's really mad. She's not even hitting anything!_

There was silence for a while, only marred by the sounds of many footsteps on grass, which faded away slowly.

"Tenchi... you know why Naruto did that, right?"

To his surprise, the speaker wasn't Tsunade- it was Shino himself. The blond wanted to crack an eye and watch his student as she answered, but knew that'd give him away.

"I'm sorry I asked him to do that. I... didn't think it would turn out like this. If you want the family to punish me as well, I'll also submit to it."

"No!" The girl's voice cracked, but she kept talking anyway, in a frenzied rush, "I don't want you to get hurt, Shino! I didn't want you to hurt Naruto-sensei! Why did you- why didn't you just leave him alone?!"

_She... she didn't want this?_

"I'm sorry. I couldn't stop them... and once they had decided, the only way I could keep them from hurting him more was taking charge. I'll accept responsibility for that, too."

_Damn that Shino... always trying to act so cool..._

Inoko was the next to speak, her voice stronger than Naruto would have expected, "Tenchi. Did you learn anything about yourself?"

Again, he couldn't see the girl's response, but he could hear it when she suddenly started sobbing.

"Why'd you ask her that, Inoko?!" It was Kamisori, his voice coming from the same direction as his girlfriend's, "She doesn't want to remember that!"

He heard the younger kunoichi take a few steps toward them and bend down with a slight rustle to stare into her friend's face, "I learned some things about myself that I hate too. But how long are you going to sit there and cry about it? You are a proud _kunoichi_. We don't cry about our mistakes and weaknesses. We _train_. And we train _hard_, so that our weaknesses become strengths. Isn't that right, Hokage-sama?"

_Damn, I'm so proud of that girl. Sasuke... I'm glad you did something right in your life._

The quiet nudge to his back with a sandaled toe showed him that at least one of those present knew he was awake, but he didn't stir anyway.

"I... but Inoko, how would _you_ feel?! I don't know if I-"

Naruto's eyes flew open, not because of what Tenchi had said, but because of Inoko's response.

"I always hated you, you know that? You think just because you cry you'll get anything you want. My mom used to be like that, and she hated herself for it. Now you think you can cry a little more and throw a big pity party, you'll get someone else to make it better? That's _bullshit_, Tenchi! The only person who can make you feel better is _you_! So get _off your ass and start moving!_"

Even Tsunade had taken an involuntary step back at the fury in the young girl's voice. Kamisori had actually fallen backwards onto his rear, his eyes wide with shock when Naruto finally turned his now-open eyes to him.

Tenchi was stunned, silent, and unmoving, while her younger teammate panted, her fists clenched at her sides, glaring at her.

"You... hate me? I thought we were... that..."

Naruto sat up slowly, but didn't stand all the way as the older teen fought for words.

"I thought we were _friends!_ Now you're going to betray me, too?"

The sound of the slap cracked through the clearing like a tree splitting.

"You are such a stupid bitch! No, I'm not betraying you! And neither did Naruto-sensei! How _dare_ you accuse us of hurting our teammates!"

Naruto started to laugh, softly at first, but it grew in volume and energy until he was lying on his back, panting with the exertion, all three women and two men watching him, surprised. When he finally realized what a fool he was making of himself, he wiped the tears of joy off his face and breathed hard a few times to control himself. "I'm... sorry, sorry... you just reminded me of Ino and Sakura for a bit. It was... just too much. Sorry."

The younger blushed at the thought that she reminded her sensei of her mother, but Tenchi looked almost enraged at the thought. Before she could work herself up, though, Tsunade started to laugh as well, followed by the dry chuckles of Shino behind her.

It was a while before any of the older shinobi could stop, but by the time they had, all three of the Genin were standing in front of them, glaring.

"Shut up, Sensei," Kamisori said after he thought he'd actually be heard, "It's not funny."

"Yes, it is," he said, gasping for air still, "and you're just like Lee right now."

That sent the other two adults and himself into another fit, while the silver-haired teen looked suddenly mortified at the thought.

This time, even the two young women laughed, Inoko trying to hold a finger pointing at him, but failing miserably.

The sun had finally begun to close with the horizon when someone spoke.  
"So... are you going to stay with us, Tenchi?"

The woman looked over at her boyfriend and answered, "Yes. But... I can't be your girlfriend, any more."

All the shinobi present looked up at her in shock.

"I just... I can't afford the distraction. I'm sorry. That was... what Naruto-sensei was trying to teach me."

The silver-haired Genin shot his sensei a glare, but Naruto denied it quickly, "No, no... well, that was part of it, but that's not what I was trying to say. I meant- I mean, look at me. I have _two_ distractions, but I can still stay focused. If you can do that, it's okay."

She nodded, but said, "I... I still can't do it, I'm sorry. I'm not strong enough, yet. Maybe after... after a while, I'll be able to."

The young man nodded, his face set, but said nothing.

Inoko looked between the two for a moment, tears welling in her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall. "You guys are so stupid."

When Naruto tried to stand and head home for dinner, he fell back to the ground with a thud and giggled, "Wow. Not a lot of chakra left. I haven't felt like this in..."

They collectively waited for him to finish his sentence, but instead, his eyes rolled back and he hit the ground again with a thump.  
Tsunade sighed and said, "Sorry Shino... can you carry him back to our house?"

The man grunted, then turned to his younger cousin, "Are we... all right?"

She looked away for a moment, then turned back to look at him and took off her shades. There were tears in her dark eyes, but she was smiling- really smiling- for the first time since she'd come back when she nodded.

* * *

"Naruto!"

The cry was echoed by both women as Shino carried him on his back through the door into their home.

"He's going to be fine," Tsunade said in a calming voice, "He's just suffering from chakra depletion."

"Chakra... but _how_?" Hinata asked, her eyes wide.

Shino looked away, but didn't say anything, to the Hokage answered for him, "The Aburame taught him a lesson about Clans. When you mess with one..."

The lavender and emerald eyes bore into the man with such anger that he couldn't help but look away. "I'm sorry," he said at last, "I... at least I kept them from killing him."

Sakura took two blazingly furious steps toward him, but she was intercepted by Tsunade. "Sakura. If you punch him, you'll have to replace a wall, and I'll make you pay for the hospital bills. He's already been dealt with."

The pink-haired woman scowled at the older for a moment, then turned back to join Hinata at their fiancee's side.

After a little while, Shino, feeling decidedly uncomfortable, said softly, "I'm glad he has you two. I didn't believe it, at first, but now... I hope the three of you are happy together."

He bowed to each of them, even the still-unconscious Naruto, and shut the door quietly behind him as he went.

"Shino... always had a thing for me," Hinata said softly a few minutes later, "even worse than Kiba. It really broke his heart when I started going out with Naruto. Even before that, I guess."

Sakura nodded, able to empathize. She'd watched Hinata date Naruto, as well.

"But... I hope he finds someone. He's a good man, and I want him to be happy."

Tsunade nodded sagely and said, "But you don't love him."

"That's not true!" Hinata gasped, looking up at the old woman, "Of course I do! Just not... that way."

Sakura giggled at her shishio's misunderstanding.

"Hinata? Sakura?"

"We're here, Naruto," the indigo-haired woman replied, smiling down at his sleepy face, "Shino and Obaa-chan brought you home."

His eyes sought out the brown ones of the old woman, and asked, "Are you... my team?"

She looked away, staring out the window for a while before she answered, "You can stay together. They really are strong, and I think it's because of you."

He denied it, of course, "No way... maybe I taught them a few things, but it's because of people like their parents, and Iruka-sensei, and-"

Sakura giggled softly, plopping down on the couch beside Naruto, "Dumb ass. You _are_ like them."


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 29**

Tenchi's kunai rang out with the clash of metal on metal, and her opponent fell back in surprise. The slender girl's arm was pushed backward so far that her own kunai caught her in the forehead. The Aburame hissed, "Wuss! You'd better give it all you've got!"

Her enemy jumped about ten feet back, landing with a graceful pose and snarled toward the bug-user, "You can't beat me with a weak attack like that. I'll just have to show you the strength of the Akimichi!" The long, red hair streamed out behind her as Soren charged forward, her attack barely blocked by Tenchi's kunai. Even so, the black-haired teen's knees buckled under the force and her feet, already enhanced with chakra to help keep her stable, crumbled the earth in a two foot line as she was pushed back.

To the sparring pair's south, Kamisori and Doken were going at it wildly, the silver-haired boy's longer reach, and technique helping to even the odds against the fierce but unrefined style of the Inazuka and his dog, a doberman named Kujyo. The pair's weapons clashed every second or two, and both had minor nicks and cuts all over, but neither showed signs of giving up. The eyelashes Tenchi had batted at the dog-lover- in full view of her now ex-boyfriend- had insured that both had something to prove.

Further still, Inoko was fighting- purely with Taijutsu- against the even smaller, though impressively muscled, Li. Their punches and quicks were almost blindingly fast to those watching, the harsh, cruel even, training that Gai and Lee put their young clone through being matched- barely- by the advantage that Inoko's Sharingan gave her in reading her opponent's moves. Like the two male teens fighting nearby, both were getting very close to making it personal.

Li had, at the beginning, apologized to Inoko for hurting her, but swore that it was not intended to offend- it was only part of serious training. But that he, as a man, couldn't hold back in training.

In turn, she had given him a withering glare and growled, "You'd better not hold back, little _boy_, or I'll squash you like a bug."

To the side of the field, Naruto and Sakura watched their teams avidly, eyes flickering back and forth to catch as much of the three matches as they could. "Wow, Sakura. Your team's gotten really good," Naruto said when he noticed that the Tenchi/Soren fight was starting to wear down, both breathing heavily.

"Yours too. But that's to be expected," she said, standing up a little straighter and pecking him on the cheek, "After all, you _are_ going to be the next Hokage. Your team should be strong."

He blushed a little and scuffed his foot, then blurted out, "I think you'll win overall, though. I just have this feeling about Kamisori... like he's going to lose his cool, and it'll be over. And Soren over there- she doesn't really have Tenchi outmatched, because without her bugs it's not a fair fight, but still- Tenchi doesn't have a lot of stamina, and if there's anything the Akimichi are known for..."

"Yeah. I think Inoko's experience is going to carry her through against Li, though. Much as I hate to admit it."

That drew the blond's attention over to the youngest of both teams' match, where the two had stepped back to give each other a short breather. Over the kiai and clash of weapons, they could hear Inoko panting out, "You aren't bad, kid, I'll give you that. But you aren't going to beat me without some real jutsu."

Li smiled and looked over at his sensei, who nodded, grinning. His own smile brightened the clearing, just before Inoko charged. She hesitated, and the boy put up a hand, gesturing to 'wait'.

Without another word, he pulled two cords and the weights suddenly dropped out his leg warmers.

"Aww crap. Poor Inoko... she's gonna hate that," Sakura teased, but Naruto only smirked, "I still think you were right before. Face it- if there's anything that can make a Sharingan wake up, it's a strong opponent. And your kid's good- no doubt about that- but he doesn't have the years that Lee had with the weights, either, so it won't make as much of a difference."

Sakura rolled her eyes, grumbling, "When did you get so smart?"

Indeed, the boy was faster, noticeably so, but he still couldn't quite match the speed-up of Inoko, who at last looked like she was really concentrating on the match, instead of smiling through it as she had been.

"Go Inoko!" Naruto suddenly cheered, and Kamisori made a 'fatal' mistake- he looked over at his teammate.

The Inazuka's fist crashed into his jaw with such force that the silver-haired boy's face was turning red before he hit the ground at Sakura and Naruto's feet.  
"Sorry, Sakura-sensei," Doken called, grinning wickedly, "He just... made such a good target standing there like that."

Naruto grinned back, his brow furrowed at the boy who'd just punched his teammate, "Don't worry, Doken- I'm sure he'll remember the favor in your next match tomorrow!"

The dog-lover paled.

"So, Naruto," Sakura asked, looking up at him coyly, "Kind of makes your blood rush, doesn't it? Watching them like this?"

He looked down into her emerald eyes and grinned, "You wanna have a match?"

She grinned herself, and reached for her bag to pull out the familiar metal-lined gloves.

"Hey, guys!" Kamisori yelled, wincing with a hand on his jaw, "Stop! They're gonna have a-"

"Don't you dare!" Sakura yelled, giving the boy a little kick, "Don't stop your matches, no matter what! Fight until it's over!"

The adults slowly walked to take the place of Doken and Kamisori, the dog-lover chivalrously bowing to Kamisori and apologizing under his breath as he helped him up.

On either side, the matches continued as Naruto and Sakura stretched and flexed, getting ready for what- to their kids- may as well have been a legendary, epic match. "So- Taijutsu only?" Sakura asked, and Naruto paused to think for a moment.

"No... let's have a Taijutsu and chakra match. Only fair if you can punch me across the field, right? Since you're so slow, and all."

Her eyebrow twitched until she saw his goofy grin, but she still growled, "Slow, am I? We'll see... you know, it's not _only_ Li that's been training with Gai and Lee lately."

Naruto's face went bone-white.

They both took their stances, Naruto very nervously, but neither moved until their younger teammates' matches had drawn to a close, with Inoko's kunai at the other boy's throat. The girl panted breathlessly, "I'll... okay, I was wrong, kid. You can spar with me any time."

She dropped her kunai to the ground, and just as it hit, both adults moved.

Naruto's hand knifed toward the kunoichi's neck, while her leg flew toward his hip.

_Damn, she really did get fast! I'm in biiig trouble at this rate!_

The pink-haired woman grinned as the separated, both nursing bruises on the arms they'd used to block.

_Heh, teach him to take it easy on me._

They closed again, this time Naruto tried to jump over the woman and get behind her, but she caught his foot in mid-jump and threw him to the ground.  
He recovered at the last moment, using both hands as powerful springboards to flip him back over Sakura, using her as a fulcrum, then continued the motion on the other side, flipping her up over him. She let go mid-flight, and sailed ten feet away to land, a little shaken, but smiling widely, on her feet. "Not bad, Naruto- didn't think you'd be able to counter that."

"You too. Think you can counter _this_?"

He was suddenly behind her with an arm around her neck in a half-sleeper, and their students looked on in amazement at his speed. They hadn't even seen him move.

"You're so _slow_, Naruto," Sakura laughed, "I can't believe I let you get that close. Your mistake, though- you should know better than to let me get a hold of you."

He suddenly cried out in pain.

Sakura's hands were wrapped around his forearm, one squeezing tightly and the other forcing it- despite the fact that his muscles were shaking to hold his arm in place- back with no apparent effort. "No... fair..." he grunted, sweat breaking out on his face.

"You said we could use chakra and Taijutsu. If you don't want to have a handicap, don't give me one," Sakura smirked, releasing him and jumping forward out of his reach.

When she turned, her fiancee was nursing his arm, tears in his eyes, "I think you... broke it, Sakura-chan!"

She was suddenly before him again, her face horrified. "Let me see it, Naruto! I can't believe I- I'm so sorry!"  
She looked up at his face only to see him grinning widely, and felt his finger flick her in the forehead. "Gotcha. First contact, I win."

She screamed, and all six teenagers began to laugh.  
"Naruto! I can't _believe_ I fell for that! You _faker_!"

* * *

"Your sensei's so much cooler than _ours_," Kamisori was saying loudly for the benefit of anyone that would listen, "I mean... she's so pretty and nice! But _our_ sensei is such a crybaby, he had to bawl like a girl just 'cause he got a little bruise on his arm!"

Expecting laughter, he was shocked to see almost every face in the room staring at him- half in anger, half in fear.  
"Bit too far, kiddo," Naruto said under his breath.

Akimichi Soren stood slowly, her palms on the long picnic table in their back yard and said in a threatening voice, "And just _how_ does a 'girl' cry, Hatake?"

Tsunade and Shizune started to snicker together from their end of the table as the boy stammered for a response. "I- uh- I didn't- didn't mean-"

Inoko sniffed softly, and said, "Don't worry about it, Soren. We all know Kamisori's just a crybaby himself. At least _girls_ only cry about things that matter- right, Sensei?"  
Naruto thought about it for just a second, then answered, "I donno about that. I've seen you cry over little stuff before. I mean, with the bandits- that was nothing, right?"  
She looked hurt that he'd brought it up, but half a moment later, she grinned and nodded, "Right. Nothing at all."

The tension fled from her at once and she started to laugh again at her silver-haired teammate.

_It's been a long time since they've all been here like this,_ Hinata thought, smiling, _I wish I had a team of my own, too. But it's not going to happen, now. The best I'll be able to do is make Special Jonin, and they don't have teams. But that's the price I pay for being Heir, I guess._

"Besides," Naruto said after a while, "Sakura's not that nice. She's _really_ scary when she's mad. Just ask her!"

The woman's eye twitched again, but when Naruto pointed at her and said in a loud whisper, "See?" she couldn't help but laugh along with him.

_Kami, I love them both. All of them. My family... part of it, any way._

"Tsunade-sama," the indigo-haired woman said quietly, speaking to the older woman at her side, "Are the umm... plans... ready?"

Across the table, Shizune went still at once, her attention totally on her master as the old woman replied in a very soft whisper, "They will be tomorrow. The date is set for a week before Christmas. Is that all right with the three of you?"

Hinata giggled softly, and said in an even lower voice, directly into Tsunade's ear, "They don't know I moved it up yet. And I'm not going to tell them until... well, not long before."

Shizune looked quizzically at the other two, but Tsunade gave her the tiniest shake of her head and mouthed, "I'll tell you later," with a barely-concealed grin.

"Come on, you guys," Sakura said firmly, "I know it's been a while since we've all gotten together, but you need to go home. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

Everyone groaned, even Tsunade, but the kunoichi was serious. "We have a _lot_ of work to do. I was pretty disappointed in all of your performances today. Remember, I said I wanted to trounce Naruto's team- and we only won two out of three. So that means extra practice for each of you. Yes," she continued over the youngest boy's additional groan, "Even you, Li. Your father would be ashamed to hear you not wanting to train more."

"Ouch, Sakura, low blow," Naruto said, cringing at the thought of what the poor kid probably already went through daily.

"My team, Naruto," she sniffed, then clapped her hands. That was the jolt her students needed- the act that told them she really meant it. "Go, now. Field nine, tomorrow- we're running laps to start. Li- leave your weights at home."

The grin that flashed onto the boy's face was identical to his 'uncle's' at that age, "You really mean it, sensei? I don't have to wear them?"

"I mean it. I'm going to train you all in something to help even the odds next time, and your weights will just get in the way. In fact, don't wear them all week- no matter what your uncle and father say."

The boy was practically skipping when he drug his teammates out the door.

"Wow," Naruto said, awe-struck, "I can't believe your team just does what they tell you to if you clap your hands. I have to beg and plead- or bribe- my team to do _anything_."

Sakura grinned evilly and replied, "Our first training session Doken asked why he had to have a girl sensei. Thought I wasn't strong enough. So I told him to give me five. When I did, I may have added a _teeeensy_ bit of chakra. After that..."

Hinata giggled and Naruto shuddered.

"Right then," the blond said, "You guys, get out of here. We're going to use Field One tomorrow- make it at nine. It's a short day, I need to work with Obaa-chan here- assuming she's awake by one."

The old woman's swift smack to the back of his head made his team laugh, but they left one after another, each thanking Hinata for her cooking skill and the company.

"Yare, your kids are so _loud_," Tsunade said after the door had shut for the last time, "reminds me of Naruto when he was younger."

Hinata and Sakura giggled, and Naruto pouted.

"Seriously, though," she said again after a moment's quiet, "I'm really proud of both of you- all of you, really."

Hinata gave a little, polite smile, "I am, too. It almost makes me wish... I had my own team."

Naruto sat up completely suddenly, staring at Hinata in surprise, "But- you can't!"

She looked almost hurt, and the three other women gasped in surprise that he'd say something like that. "Naruto!" Sakura said, preparing to whack him in the back of the head herself, but he didn't seem to hear her.

"I mean... if all three of us have teams, who's going to teach our own kids?"

Hinata blushed at once from the implication, but didn't pass out this time. "I... I... never thought of that," she stammered.

"See," Naruto said flopping back down to take up the whole couch, "_told_ you guys I was a genius. For yeeaaaaars you didn't believe it- now you have proof."

* * *

"You _what_?!"

They were- neither of them- taking it as well as the Hyuga woman had hoped. In fact, both were furious.

"I... I moved up the weddings?"

"But Hinata-" Naruto cut himself off and spun away.

"I'm... I'm _sorry_," she cried out in anguish, "I didn't think you'd be mad! I thought... I thought you both _wanted_ to be married! That you wanted it sooner! Like... like I..."

As her voice dissolved into tears, Sakura cried out as well in anger, "You _thought!_ Hinata, what are other people going to think if we suddenly push both weddings forward?! They're going to think one of us is _pregnant_- or worse, _both_ of us!"

Naruto paled even further. _Damn- I hadn't even _thought_ of that!_

"I... I... I'm _sorrry!_" the woman wailed, her head in her hands, sitting on the kitchen chair she'd collapsed onto when she realized both of her fiancees were terribly angry.

"No. Don't say that," Sakura said, still yelling, "I don't want you to be sorry! I want it to- I want it to be _fixed_!"

Naruto was silent for a long time as the pink-haired woman continued to rail at the quieter one, but his expression was thoughtful.

"Sakura, stop," he said at last, standing up to move over to crouch in front of Hinata, "Hinata, it doesn't matter," he said at last, causing Sakura to turn on him, instead.

"It doesn't _matter_, Naruto?! Of course it matters!"

He looked over his shoulder at her, his cerulean eyes almost shimmering with tears even though they looked hard, "No, Sakura, it doesn't. Listen to me," he continued, turning back to Hinata, "both of you. It doesn't matter at all. In a few months, people will realize that we moved it up because we wanted to, not because either of you are pregnant. I mean, how could you be? We'd have known by now if... because we..."

He trailed off, his train of thought being derailed by the images he was inflicting on himself. _It's been so long since I had... well..._

Sakura stood tall, arms across her chest, glaring at the other woman still for a long time, but then she suddenly flopped onto Naruto's vacated chair with a huff and said with a groan, "I guess it doesn't matter. Naruto's right. So... I'm sorry, Hinata."

Naruto relaxed at last, worried that he'd have to fend one of them off the other, and that it would drive a rift between them- something he never wanted to happen.

"I'm so sorry," Hinata said again, her voice still thick with tears, "I didn't think..."

"Hinata," Naruto said, pulling her face up to meet his, "We love you. Both of us. We aren't mad... it's just... it was a big surprise. That's all. Okay?"

He leaned forward a few inches to kiss her, but she was too worried still to respond much. When he pulled away, he saw the woman's almost-invisible eyes on Sakura, who was doing her best not to watch- and failing.  
"Fine," she grumbled at last, "I'm not mad. And I'm not just saying it to make Naruto happy, either," she grouched before the other woman could say anything, "I... yeah, I'm a little worried about what people will say, but Naruto's right. It'll pass."

Long minutes passed in silence while Hinata continued to hiccup, but it seemed the worst of it was over. The trio had been ready to spend the day out and about in town, enjoying one of their few mutual days off, when Hinata had spilled the news to the other two while they were cleaning up breakfast.  
Now, though, it seemed that plan was out- Hinata hated going outside with puffy eyes.

_Even though she's still beautiful like that_.

"So... when is the date now, exactly?"

"It's... uhm... a week before Christmas," Hinata answered the other woman, "So the eighteenth of December."

Sakura nodded resolutely. "I guess I'll have to get my shopping done early, then, and get my dresses final fittings done today."

Hinata sniffed again, on the verge of tears because Sakura still sounded a little cold.

But when the pink-haired woman looked at the other, there was regret in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Hinata, I didn't mean it to sound like that. I was just rearranging my schedule in my head, that's all. I really am... happy that you want to get married sooner. I really am."

The woman didn't answer, only gave the taller kunoichi a watery grin before she went up the stairs to their bedroom.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto said softly after she'd gone, "you know she really isn't mad, right?"

Hinata hiccuped again, so he continued, "She hits things when she's annoyed, but when she's _really_ mad, no one's safe. And she only yelled a little bit- it really was just a shock."

The woman nodded weakly, still not looking up at her fiancee.

"Hinata, look at me," he said again, but she didn't move until he put his hands on her cheeks and lifted her face toward his. "I hate it when you cry- and so does she. In just a minute I'm going to go upstairs and see Sakura crying her eyes out, thinking that you hate her now. But you don't, right?"

"Of course not!" Hinata cried quietly, "How could she think that?!"

Naruto smiled, giving her a gentle peck on the lips, "Because we're human, and humans are silly. We are different people, we don't all think the same all the time. But she really does love you, and that's what matters. Right?"

This time, the woman nodded, so Naruto kissed her again before standing slowly and going upstairs.

He'd been right, of course. As soon as he'd reached the landing, he could hear Sakura's quiet sobs through their door. He didn't bother to knock, but shut the door gently behind him and looked at her.

She was wearing her usual outfit now, still mostly red, though the white circles of her family's crest had all-but vanished. The long tunic was still there, but now it's cut was more similar to that favored by Ino, though it lacked the fastenings in as many places and was a lot looser. It almost hung on her like a kimono. Instead of the tight, form-hugging black shorts she'd worn a few years ago, she now wore pants, usually pink or white, again loose in the leg, but form-fitting as they rose.

When Naruto's eyes reached her eyes, he was unsurprised to find them literally running with salty tears. She ran into him, pushing him back toward the door in a fierce kiss, sobbing all the while. "Naruto... does she... hate me?"

His arms slid around her slender back as he whispered into her hair, "Of course she doesn't. And she knows you don't hate her, either. You got mad, that's all- it was just a fight. People do that."

"But I-"

"Shush, Sakura- even people that love each other fight. Me and Hinata- hell, you and me- are proof of that. And look at us. We're getting married in two weeks."

She stiffened a little at first, but once he'd mentioned their new date, she collapsed into him, crying again, "She still... wants to? And you do, too, even after I said those awful things?"

He smiled into her neck and gave her a little nibble, "Of course. I love you, Sakura-chan. Why wouldn't I want to marry you?"

Neither heard the feet coming up the stairs, but they heard the doorknob turn and took their weight off of it just in time as Hinata came slowly into the room, her eyes puffy but dry. "Sakura-chan... I'm sorry. Please don't hate-"

Her words were stopped by Sakura's lips pressing against her own, much as she'd done with Naruto a minute before.

As their tongues began to wrestle for dominance, Naruto backed away until he ran into one of their dressers, the noise breaking them apart at once, both blushing.

"Sorry," Sakura said at last, "I'm so sorry, Hinata. I love you, and I-"

"No, Sakura, I'm the one that-"

But both women were interrupted by Naruto's profound statement, "Kami, that was _so_ _hot_!"


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Don't own it, never will, etc.

**Chap. 30**

"Excuse me... just a little bit higher, please," the kunoichi asked, in her typically hard-to-hear manner, pointing upward while looking up at the two men on ladders hanging part of the long garland in her father's garden.

"Yes, Lady Hyuga," the older replied, and the two hitched it up a bit higher. "Like this, Hyuga-sama?"

She rewarded them with a wide smile and nodded, turning to help direct others for the decorations.

_I can't believe it's happening tomorrow... we're really getting married!_

The woman giggled to herself softly, remembering a few nights ago- and how close they'd come to slipping, and breaking she and Naruto's vow.

_Hinata smiled, both she and Sakura looking over at their fiancee. They both grinned wickedly when they turned their eyes back to each other._

"_Hinata, should we show him something _really_ hot?" Sakura had asked in a near-whisper._

"_Mmm hmm," the shorter woman had replied, and her still-puffy eyes had closed again when she leaned further into the kunoichi in her arms, both lips opening to allow the other's tongue entry._

_Arms twisted around the pair, and the kiss deepened further until both women and the man in the room were all breathing heavily._

_Hinata gave a little gasp when Sakura's strong leg forced itself between her knees and slid up her thigh as far as it would go, causing the most delightful warmth in her stomach when it stopped, then began to move oh-so-slowly up and down as the woman rocked the leg on the ball of her foot._

_In return, the dark-haired woman slid one hand down the other's back, and reached up at the end, hiking Sakura's tunic upward and sliding her hand down inside the woman's pants to give her ass a firm squeeze._

_The sharp inhalation as soon as Hinata applied pressure told her that the woman did indeed like it. Not to be outdone in daring or desire to please her companion, the pink haired woman smirked just a little after she'd recovered from her surprise, and looking over at their mutual fiancee, took the arm closest to him and slid it around the side of Hinata's navy blue t-shirt to cup and then pick up her ample breast. She gave it a quick squeeze as well, then pressed her own chest into it, not letting go with her hand._

"_Kami..." Naruto gasped, and both looked over to see the huge bulge in his jumpsuit, "I want you both so bad right now..."_

_Sakura's eyes flicked back to Hinata's for a moment, then suddenly separated from her._

"_Your turn, lover boy," she said with a confident purr, then stepped over and knelt down before him._

_Hinata took a few steps forward as well, and-_

"Hinata-sama, are you feeling all right? Nervous before the big day?"

Normally, the kunoichi was happy to see her cousin, and hear him in such an obvious good mood, but just then...  
"Your face is all red, and your breathing is erratic. Are you all right, Hinata?"

"I... I'm, umm... I'm fine, Neji-kun... sorry, I was just thinking about... tomorrow. I hope I don't faint," she said weakly, trying to mask her embarrassment.

Her cousin gave her a sharp look and paused for half a second, mid-stride, before continuing toward her. When he was right in front of her, he said in a low voice, "I hope I don't have to break Naruto's neck for putting that kind of idea in your head before your wedding, cousin."

Her eyes widened in sudden fear, but Neji only laughed at her reaction and said, "I'm just kidding, really... but I hope you have waited. I wouldn't want to think of my cousin being... umm..."

His own face turned bright red, much like her own, and it was Hinata's turn to laugh at his expense. "Neji-kun, don't tell me you are still so shy about things like that? Hasn't Tenten-san broken that habit, yet?"

He blushed again and looked away, muttering, "We still... I mean, I haven't..."

Her eyes widened in shock again, and she replied, "I- I- I'm sorry, Neji-kun, I didn't mean to imply-"

The man waved his hand in a faux nonchalant way and turned to face his cousin again, still blushing, "No, it's quite all right, Hinata-sama. Like you, I wanted to respect our family and wait until we are married. Though waiting was... difficult."

She smiled again and took his hand, pulling him toward one of the many secluded sections of the garden. There was no guarantee that in the Hyuga household one could ever be totally private, but most people talking in corners were left alone- for the benefit of everyone.

"Neji-kun," Hinata said once she'd pulled him onto the marble bench, "has Tenten been acting... indecently?"

He almost stood up in shock, his face burning hotly, when he realized that his cousin was, in fact, joking with him- mostly. "No... I... we both..."

Hinata laughed again, and it was a joyous sound that reminded Neji of bells. "Onii-san. I'm glad you are here, and I'm glad you are happy. Your baby is due in March, is it not?"

He nodded, smiling and looking away to hide the joy apparent in his eyes.

She smiled to herself, and asked, " But how long will you make her and yourself suffer? You know you are right for each other, or you wouldn't have..."

He looked away, none of the color leaving his face, and said quietly, "I think... I would like to propose on Christmas.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him into a tight hug, making him blush even deeper, "Oh, Neji-kun! I'm so happy for you!"

* * *

The woman was finding it hard to concentrate on her rounds that afternoon- but no one seemed to mind. The giddy, absent-minded look on her face, combined with the shining ring on her finger that she seemed to look at every few seconds was enough to tell everyone- even the people she'd never met- in the hospital that the pretty young medic checking their charts, IV's, and doing other things a nurse or doctor does was getting married very soon.

"Sakura," the old, gray-haired man said across the cafeteria, causing said woman to turn in his direction from the line.

"Hai, Tetsu-san?"

The man talking to her wasn't really 'new' at the medic ninja business, but he had only transferred to the Konoha facility from the even larger hospital in the capitol of the Land of Fire. "Shizune has asked me to cover some extra shifts for the next few weeks until I'm more comfortable with the place- and she mentioned you. Would you like to take the rest of the day off? My shift just ended, and I'm free and available."

The kunoichi squealed with delight as her tray- thankfully mostly empty- clattered to the floor. "Tetsu! Yes, _yes_! Thank you so much!"

He grimaced and blushed a little when she ran up and hugged him before dashing out of the cafeteria at once, having totally forgotten about her lunch- now sitting on the floor. With a sigh, the older man smiled and started cleaning the mess himself.

"Shizune, thank you _so_ much!" Sakura cried as she burst into the other woman's office at the hospital. She had just recently taken over Tsunade's position as head of the facility, but refused- flat out- to move her office into the larger one next door.

"It's not a problem, Sakura," the brown-haired woman said, smiling widely, "I know you want to go finish getting ready for... tomorrow."

Suddenly Shizune was enveloped in a crushing hug, and she could hear Sakura's quiet sobs against her shoulder. A little uncomfortable, she put her hands around Sakura's shoulders and left her alone for a bit, but when it became unbearable for her, she pushed her gently away and whispered, "Congratulations, little sister. I'm very happy for you."

* * *

He yawned, stretching as he leaned against the large, red post that held up the Torii at the great entrance to the city. At the guard post a few meters away, two Jonin he'd never talked to but recognized vaguely were watching him with some interest. It was obvious that both knew who _he_ was, though- it seemed that ever since he'd been a child, the whole village recognized the vibrant, golden hair.

_But no one looks at me with fear any more. And I can't complain about that. I wonder if Gaara has noticed a difference at home? We don't get a chance to talk a lot, so..._

Then he saw them.

But there weren't just the three Subaku siblings coming down the road, there was an entire procession. As they rounded the bend, Naruto counted them, identifying the few he could. _Temari and Kankuro, Gaara. That's Matsuri. Wow, she got cute. And there's Baki... is that... is that the old man? Ebizo? I didn't think he'd come! And there's a bunch of other people with them- and what is that, is Gaara actually _talking_ to them? And _laughing_?_

So he was. Naruto didn't move from his spot except to keep his eyes on the gathering procession as they closed, using the opportunity to take a good look at his old friend. The Kazekage was in an outfit similar to that he'd worn when he was younger. The colors were the same, that of sand and blood, but the pants were lighter, not the dark gray Naruto had seen him in last, but now matched the shade of his gourd, though they were a green color instead of tan. The Kazekage's shirt was the same mesh every ninja- even Naruto- was familiar with wearing. Over that, he wore his traditional long coat, but it was open now, and the sleeves had both been removed to bare long, muscular arms. _Damn, looks like Gaara started actually doing Taijutsu again. What the- did he just- he did! He's holding Matsuri's hand!_

The raucous laughter and chatter fell silent as as the group neared the arched gates and Naruto stood up from the post at last. Without a word, the crowd moved itself into a military marching formation, showing discipline that Naruto still envied, even after all these years. Gaara was at the front, flanked by his brother and sister on one side, Baki and Matsuri on the other. A crowd of twelve Suna citizens between the ages of ten and fifteen separated the group up front from the ancient man, who was sitting calmly atop a wagon bench.  
Behind that wagon, Naruto could see at least six others, and an even larger group of people behind them.

"Konnichi-wa, Uzumaki-san," Gaara said, his voice toneless and face as stoic as ever as he looked at his closest friend, "May Suna have permission to bring eighteen shinobi into Konoha on a mission of peace and friendship?"

Surprised by the formality, Naruto stiffened and bowed, his own face locked in a formal expression when he rose. "Granted, Kazekage-sama. Konoha welcomes you all."

The red-head gave a curt nod and began to walk, and Naruto fell in beside him. "So, uh... Gaara- why did you bring so many people? It's just a wedding."

He didn't miss Temari, on the other side of Naruto, blush and turn away. To his other side, Naruto heard Matsuri give a soft little gasp of surprise as well. Even Kankuro looked uncomfortable, but Gaara only said in his usual way, "We are here for more than just one wedding, Naruto. Temari and Shikamaru have set their date for one month after yours. As well, between that time, we will be overseeing the promotion of a Jonin to the rank of Kage. I believe that event is worth a formal delegation, is it not?"

Naruto stopped in his tracks. _Oh crap! I completely forgot about that!_

When he came back to himself, still stunned, Gaara had stopped and turned around to look at him calmly. "You forgot."

Naruto gave a weak nod.

"Your whole life, you have been dreaming about being Hokage, and you forgot that in a little over a week you will be."

The blond nodded again, and Kankuro started to laugh. "Only you, Naruto."

Gaara spoke again, "You must really love them."

Once again, Naruto nodded.

The Kazekage turned once again and continued following the road from the gate to the Hokage Tower, Naruto on his heels.

* * *

Elsewhere, plans were finalized, preparations were completed. The big day was coming- and it was coming very soon.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Don't own it. Kishimoto-sensei does.

**Chap. 31**

Uzumaki Naruto woke suddenly, drenched in sweat.

_Damn it... I haven't slept much at all..._

His tired eyes sought out the dimly-glowing hands of the clock on the opposite wall of his bed.

_Four thirty in the morning... hell with it. I may as well get up... It's the big day, and I'm not going to be sleeping any more._

He rose and yawned loudly, stretched, and found himself wondering where the kunoichi that had allowed him to sleep so restfully for the last few months were.

_Oh... Sakura was staying with Ino and Hinata is with her family. I hope they had fun last night... wish I had._

The ninja groaned and clutched his head, wondering what had possessed Kiba- of all people- to throw him a stag party. It had started out all right, there was drinking, laughing, sharing stories of the past, mostly focusing on the 'rookies'' troubles with women.

But it had quickly gone downhill once the 'dancers' had arrived. The Inazuka had tried his best, Naruto knew, but he still couldn't get over the fact that Kiba actually thought he'd enjoy having a scantily-clad woman rubbing up against him- when it wasn't Sakura or Hinata.

_Hell... I guess any normal guy would have. But it just felt so weird, having some stranger do that. At least he enjoyed himself... _

_Still, I'm glad the rest of my friends have more self control. Neji didn't even have to try to force them off, one glare was all it took, and Lee didn't have any problems at all. I kind of feel bad for Shino and Choji, though... it's probably a good thing Shikamaru and Sai weren't there, or they'd have had problems too._

But that wasn't the worst of it, the ninja remembered. With another groan, he sat up slowly and rose from the bed, snagging a towel and change of underwear as he headed for the bathroom.

_So what if they were rumored to be the 'best dancers in the world'? He should have checked their credentials! I never would have thought... assassins, the night before my wedding. At my own stag party! I just hope Hinata and Sakura don't hear about it... they'd kill the poor guy._

Thinking about the attempt on his life caused a cold feeling to sink into the pit of his stomach.

… _just cold feet. That's all. I'm nervous 'cause I'm getting married. Nothing's going to happen, nothing at all. Shika said over and over that the Stone wouldn't dare attack until spring. And the attempt on my life... holy _shit_, they tried to murder me! What the hell were they thinking? That I'd be too drunk to see it coming?_

Throughout his long, hot shower the man couldn't decide if he was scared because someone with power seemed determined to bring him down, or amused because they thought some two-bit assassin- a skilled killer, yes, but no ninja- could bring him down.

But as he toweled himself off, that amusement quickly turned to rage. _They're going to go after Sakura and Hinata, too... and my team. I'd better start checking the security for Sakura's wedding first- I doubt the Hyuga would appreciate it if I was sneaking around their compound this early._

* * *

A male shinobi saw his target leaving his 'contact''s apartment from the covered balcony three buildings away. "Moegi, Udon, he's leaving. Third floor, second from the right, just like we thought."

The radio hissed for a moment as both of his teammates held their transmit buttons down at once, and it was no surprise to the speaker that his other male teammate yielded the right to speak first to the last teammate, the only female. "Kono, should we move in?"

"Neg. Wait for Ebisu-sensei. The target is carrying something, it looks like the documents we need."

_Something about that guy... I feel like I should know him. Like I've seen him before..._

"Follow him from a distance, Konohamaru-sama," the deeper voice of their team leader crackled over the radio next, "Moegi will take the right, Udon the left, and you the rear. I'll be a little ahead, when you pass me waiting on the side of the street will be your cue to move in."

"Affirmative. Let's go team, and don't screw this mission up."

None of his teammates responded again, and the radio was silent. The young man flung himself over the railing and onto the street five stories below, landing on springboard feet that didn't make more than a whisper.

_He's taking the main road. Even this late at night there would be witnesses if we moved in. We might have to wait till later._

The tall, thin but muscular man was weaving slightly as if drunk, but Konohamaru knew he was anything but. _He's almost as good at faking it as a ninja. Almost._

The young man had seen his target, had been watching him for days, in fact, and knew he hadn't had a drop of alcohol in over twelve hours. _Though he's had other things... and she was hot, too!_

"Konohamaru, your radio's on. I can hear heavy breathing- is he running?"

The teen's face turned a little red, but he was well-schooled in controlling his hormones by now, and calmed down almost at once. "No, Moegi, sorry... I just thought I heard someone behind me... but there's no one there. I saw a cat, that's probably what it was. Target still on course. Looks like he's heading into the residential district."

His other teammate came on the line next, "I see him now. Block D23, eastbound. Still walking- is he drunk?"

The ninja shook his head before remembering his teammates couldn't see it, then said, "No. He's faking it. He had a little bit of... umm... entertainment with his contact," he said, and could practically see both- no, all three- of his teammates blushing even redder than he was at the implication, "but no alcohol, no chemicals I could see of any kind. Didn't even drink water while he was there."

"Right... he's turned," Moegi said a few seconds later, "I have him in sight. Looks like he's coming down Crescent Lily street."

Their team leader was the next to respond, "Be on guard. He may be a civilian, but we haven't seen his base, yet. He could have shinobi guards."

"Right," Konohamaru said, and continued to follow the man- almost invisible in the darkness- as he walked down the empty lane.

The woman who greeted him at the door with a hug- only distantly returned- gave all four of the team a huge shock. Even at a distance, the shape of the woman in the light from the home was unmistakable.

"S... Sakura?"

_No... it couldn't be her! There's no way she'd cheat on Boss. But that hair... it looks pink. Something's going on..._

Konohamaru closed with the home after the two had gone inside and closed the door, ignoring the protests of his teammates over the radio 'not to get too close'.

_There he is... yeah, that's definitely him. He's put the papers down, but he's keeping a close watch... there she is. Long arm, thin and a bit muscular... she's almost as tall as he is. _

_And that's gotta be pink hair... I don't see how it could be anyone else! So why is she in this guy's house without him there...? And why did they kiss... on the doorstep?_

Not knowing what else to do, the young ninja backed away from the home again and toggled his radio back to transmit, "Sorry, had to confirm something. Did anyone else get a good look at the woman?"

The silence told him that they had.

"Listen... don't say anything to Naruto about it, okay? I wanna check it out a bit before we say anything."

"But Konohamaru," Moegi's sharp voice came over the radio, "his wedding is _today_. If we're going to tell him anything..."

_Shit! _

"All right... I'll go talk to him right now. You guys check it out, see if you can tell if it's really her or not. Ebisu-sensei, can you make the report yourself?"

The tall closet-pervert hesitated before he came on the comm, "I really shouldn't- this isn't a mission, but if you get caught this close to our mission, there would be serious consequences. But for your sake, I'll do it. This is the last favor I owe you, Konohamaru-sama."

The boy snickered, thinking, _You've given me the 'last favor' for saving your life eighteen times now, ya old pervert._ "Thank you, sensei. I'll be right back, you guys. Naruto's house isn't too far from here."

But it took him a while to find the man, because the house was cold and dark when he arrived- but looking in the bedroom window, he could see that there wasn't anyone in the bed. _Not in the shower, either, unless he showers in the dark... but I can't hear water. Did he leave already? But it's so early!_

Thinking about the time- and his lack of sleep for the last few days- made the young man rub his own tired, red eyes, but when he pulled his hands away they were filled with resolve. "Gotta find him."  
He closed his eyes and concentrated, using a technique his grandfather- the Sandaime- had taught him just weeks before his death, something he called "Looking for the Spark".

In theory, the jutsu was simple, but it was very hard to use successfully- and the more people there were around, the harder it was. At it's heart, it was simply a chakra-detection art, capable of picking one chakra- one familiar to the user- out of a crowd, or showing hidden enemies.

However, in a city as large as Konoha, there were a lot of ninja around, and all of their chakra networks would be at least a little active- even at night.

But the young man was undaunted. _Still the fastest way to find him._ He closed his eyes and plopped onto the ground with his legs crossed, and folded his arms.

… _so many people. There's the Hyuga compound... lots of ninja there, but I don't see Naruto-sama. Not at the Tower... not anywhere near here, though. Damn it, I have to hurry- the sun will be coming up in an hour or so. No, not in the hospital... not up on the Monument... maybe he's training? He's gotta be nervous._

The ninja sent his awareness further, out to the outskirts of the city, but there was no sign of the distinctive red-tinged chakra he was so familiar with.

But then- there. _There_? There were nine active chakra networks in a cluster, Naruto's among them- though it might not have been him. There was no red chakra trickling through his own._ What's he doing at Ino-sensei's house?_

* * *

"Damn it, Naruto," Ino groaned for the fifth time, "We were up practically all night... can't we just sleep a little longer?"

"_No_, Ino," he said firmly, "there's something going on, and I don't like it. They tried to kill me yesterday, and they aren't going to give up!"

Tenten, alone among the women- even the girls- there, seemed fully awake- training with Gai-sensei for years had taught her to wake up instantly, and survive on little to no sleep. "Naruto, are you _sure_? It's not easy to assassinate a ninja. Most of us have ways to detect killer intent and stuff like that."

He looked around Ino's living room, making sure that all the females present were, indeed, awake, then said in a low growl, "It's not me I'm worried about. They'll come after Hinata and Sakura next. I trust you guys to take care of her... but you have to be awake to do it."

The kunoichi's collective eyes widened, but Sakura laughed, "Naruto- any idiot that tried to assassinate me would be in for a big surprise. You _do_ know I'm a perfectly capable ninja myself, right?"

He froze for a moment, nodded, then mumbled, "Yeah... but I'm allowed to worry about you still, right?"

There was a round of 'awwws' from the whole room, and Sakura herself blushed.

After a little while, Ino said, "Okay Naruto- we'll get up at this ungodly hour- but you have to leave the room."

He gave her a puzzled look, so she clarified, "Not all of us wear pajamas to sleep in."

His eyes widened just a fraction, but he didn't turn pink this time. "Right... sorry. I'll be on the porch."

Naruto had just opened the door when he heard frantically pounding feet coming up the walk. "Boss! Boss! Something's... something has happened, and I gotta tell you. I'm sorry, Boss, but... Sakura's cheating on you!"

Every woman in the room, preparing to throw off their blankets and get up, stopped moving as one, before all eyes went to Sakura.

"I know she is," Naruto said, confused even further, "sort of, anyway. We're all going to be married, so-"

"No! Not with Hinata-sama," the young man blurted out, "with an old guy! He's the target of our mission, and an hour or so ago I saw him-"

Naruto turned around to face the room again, stepping back to gesture Konohamaru inside.

The teen's eyes widened when he saw the group of girls, and then further still when he saw Sakura, who very obviously had been asleep until recently- her hair was a mess.

"I... I... I'm sorry," he stuttered out, "There was pink hair, and I- I guess I jumped to-"

The last word wasn't a stammer, it was interrupted. "_What_ did you say? Pink hair?"

He nodded, unsure if he dared to risk the successor to the Gondaime's strength's ire, and she stood up at once, not caring that she was one of the few who didn't sleep in pajamas.

To his credit, the young man didn't blush even a little, and kept his eyes off the startlingly green bra and panties of his 'Boss's' fiancee.

"Sakura, your mom-"

"No," Konohamaru said, shaking his head, "It wasn't his mom that was cheating... sorry, I misread the situation... it was... sorry, Sakura-san... it was your dad, I guess."

She deflated at once, sinking slowly back to the pile of blankets she'd spent the night on. "I knew it... I knew it, and now I have proof. That bastard's been such an ass to my mom lately, that..."

Naruto was back in the room at once, crouching beside the pink-haired woman, his hands around her shoulders, "I'm sorry, Sakura... we'll do something... I don't know what right now, but _something_... but for today, can you just focus on _us_?"

She hesitated, a forming sob catching in her throat, before she forced out, "Yes. I can, and I will. Today is about you, me, and Hinata. Not about that fool."

For the next few minutes, Naruto waited outside with Konohamaru while the women at least threw on clothes. Not all of them would be able to shower in Ino's small house, but Sakura, Tenten, and Inoko of course, would be.

Outside, Naruto whispered a number of instructions to the young Chunin for when he left. The last thing he said was, "Thank you, Konohamaru, for telling me_."  
_The Chunin blushed a little and rubbed the back of his head, chuckling, and said, "It's nothin, Boss."

A minute later, Udon and Moegi left the vicinity of Sakura's parent's home to get some much-needed rest, leaving Ebisu to take the watch for the day. He had, as well, been invited to the wedding, but had informed Naruto a few days earlier that he would be on a mission that required at least one person at all times, and had elected to allow Konohamaru's date and best friend to go instead.  
Naruto had smiled and thanked the pervert, then leaned in to whisper something in his ear that made the older man turn bright red, and stammer out, "You... you are? You're really going to do it?"

Naruto had nodded, and left without a word.

* * *

Like Naruto and Sakura had been, most of the Hyuga compound was up before dawn. Only Hinata was still sleeping when the sun rose over the horizon. The soft padding of feet up and down the hallway where her bedroom lay didn't disturb her deep slumber, either, and even the quiet knock on her door barely caused her to roll over, mumbling something in her sleep.

When Hanabi had checked up and down the hall to see that no one could actually see her, the girl opened the door without a sound and stepped inside. _Onee-chan... I hope I didn't give you too much. _

But then the young ninja's eyes lit on the tea cup sitting on her sister's night stand. It was still full. _She... was so nervous she didn't even drink the tea? But then... how is she sleeping so soundly?_

"Mmm... Naruto-kun, not there..."

The flush that shot up Hanabi's neck and cheeks made her blush further in embarrassment. She stepped resolutely forward, though, to bend over her sister's sleeping form. "Hinata-chan," she said, shaking the woman lightly, "it's time to wake up."

"But Sakura... I'm cold, I don't want to get out of bed..."

The teen's blush deepened further still, but she had a job to do. She gave her sister's shoulder a firm squeeze, and said loudly, "Hinata! Wake up! You're getting _married_ in a few hours, and you lay in bed all morning?!"

At the emphasized word, the older ninja's lavender eyes shot open, and her whole body stiffened. "Ha... Hanabi-chan? I'm sorry... I was having a great dream..."

The younger sister rolled her eyes and turned away, trying to avoid letting her sister see that she had, in fact, heard already. "Come on, sister. Time for breakfast, then we have to finish the rites before the ceremony."

Hinata gasped and jumped from the bed, not caring that she was half dressed as she flew into the bathroom down the hall, her sister shaking her head behind her. _I pray I'm not so hopeless when _I_ get married..._

* * *

"Naruto, you know it's bad luck to see the bride on the wedding day."

Tenten was taunting him, but Sakura could tell nothing she'd say along those lines would bother him. Despite the pain of knowing now that her father had been cheating on her mother- probably for years- combined with the knowledge that apparently, he'd been feeding information to their enemies had put her in a daze. But even through that, she could still see and hear her fiancee plainly.

"Come on, Naruto," she said, standing up at last, "give me a minute to shower and dress, and we'll go see my mother."

"No, wait," Konohamaru said, "I'm sorry, Sakura-sensei, but... our mission. I can't let you disturb the target, or-"

"That _target_ is my _father_, Konohamaru!" she shouted suddenly, causing everyone present- except Naruto- to jump.

He looked over his shoulder at her, his blue eyes hard, and said with authority, "He's right, Sakura. We have to leave it for now. We have our own things to deal with. We'll take care of him... tomorrow."

_How does he... _do_ that? One minute I'm so furious I could kill my own parents, and with just a few words... even words that should _piss me off_, and I'm... not fine. But I'll be okay._

"... fine. Sorry to worry everyone... today's our day, I won't let that asshole ruin it. Right, Naruto?"

His serious face turned at once into a silly, blushing grin, and he stammered, "Yeah... sorry, I just had to make sure you were okay. Sorry about your dad... so... I'll, umm... I'll see you later, okay?"

Inoko rolled her eyes at the older man, and said loudly, "Sensei, you're getting _married_ later. Of_ course_ you'll see her."

Naruto and Sakura both chuckled, but Ino, standing with the blanket wrapped around her curvy shape, said, "You should get out of here, though, both of you. Don't worry, Naruto- we'll keep her safe. Thanks for the heads up."

* * *

There wasn't much left time to wait. The entire Hyuga household was present in the largest garden of the estate, which had been mostly cleared and covered with grass- grown in by those talented with plant jutsu, like the Yamanakas- to accommodate the large group.

In one of the large house's foyers, Hinata, Hanabi, and her ancient Aunt were fussing over the starkly plain, white robes- that nonetheless had an almost awe-inspiringly tight weave to the soft linen- which were traditionally used by their family's brides.  
"You look as good as your mother did in those robes," the deep voice said through the open door.

"Father!" Hinata gasped, turning at once, almost ripping some of the fabric from her Aunt's old fingers.

"Hinata... your blushing husband-to-be is waiting. The family is eager, as well. Even your cousin seems... excited." The humor in the older man's voice was subtle, but all three of those in the room knew him well enough to catch it.  
"Oh... _Father_," Hinata cried, running the five steps it took to reach the big man's arms, which folded themselves around her for the first time in her memory.  
"Hinata... I'm very proud of you," he ventured, keeping a tight reign on his face so that his youngest daughter and aunt wouldn't get an eyeful of his emotional weakness, "more proud than I would have ever imagined a few years ago. That boy has... no. Not that boy. _You_ have made yourself into a fine woman. Perhaps even finer than your mother."

Her arms were almost crushing her poor father's ribs, the hug she was giving him was so tight as she sobbed into his chest.

"Now, now, Hiashi," the old woman said, "You're making the poor girl's make-up run."

She tottered forward to place a gentle hand on Hinata's shoulder, but didn't pull her away.

"I know, and I'm sorry... I just couldn't let my daughter be... ...mm.... without my... umm... without me telling her how proud I am."

Hinata didn't look up to see his face, but Hanabi's wide-eyed expression recorded it in her prodigious memory to tell her sister- and to use as future blackmail material, if necessary. _I've never seen him so... so... is that really Father?_

* * *

_I can't believe that lucky bastard. Sometimes I swear I wish I'd just let the bugs get him, or the assassin at the party, or even just let my own family... damn it. The only girl I've ever liked, the only woman I think I'll ever love... and of all people, they asked _me_ to arrange some weird double-marriage for her. Because I can keep my mouth shut. Bullshit._

_Well, I did it, Hinata. Did it for you, because it'll make you happy. I gotta admit, though, he does deserve you. He's everything you ever said he was, and more- and now most of the village knows it._

_Well... whatever. So I get to be alone- not like half my family doesn't know what that's like. It's a wonder there's as many of us as there are, with all the bugs crawling around in us, it's amazing we still propagate._

With a sigh, Shino closed his eyes behind his sunglasses, and turned his head to avoid looking at his friend- the blond-haired man kneeling without a motion to the left of the priest on the porch-turned-dais before the crowd.

* * *

Naruto's feet had gone numb an hour ago, but through the pins and needles of both legs falling asleep, he hadn't let a single iota of pain or discomfort show in his face. To his right, the garden had filled with orderly rows of Hyuga dressed in white on one side, and the other had filled with important Shinobi and Nobles from throughout the land of fire.  
The closest he'd come to letting his composure slip had been when he saw Hoshi Gakayen, the aging lord of the Land of Fire, leading a small procession in himself. _Wow... Tsunade Obaa-chan must have invited him. I didn't think he'd come to _my_ wedding!_

Beside him on one side sat Tsunade, for once wearing the white and red-trimmed robes and hat of her office, to his left, sat Gaara wearing the white-and-blue of the Kazekage. To Tsunade's side knelt Iruka-sensei, Teuchi, and Ayame. To Gaara's left were Temari and Shikamaru, Ino and Lee, and Tenten- who was sitting across the aisle from Neji, at the end of the Hyuga main family's row.

_The only people not here are Sakura, Hanabi, and Hinata herself... it's almost time._

The old priest rose with a graceful movement that belied his age after Hiashi had followed his younger daughter in and sat, filling the last vacant spot.

And then he saw her.

His own robes- orange, of course, purchased for him by Iruka-sensei, were covered in his father's gray cloak. In contrast, the colorful ninja almost blushed to see his future bride wearing nothing but the purest white, the only color on her was her deep blush, dark indigo hair, and lavender eyes- and soft, inviting pink lips. _Hinata-chan... I wish Sakura could see this._

Some people might have had the same thought out of jealousy, but Naruto only thought it out of pity. _She's missing out... big time._

Hinata's natural grace- that Naruto had first seen when he'd watched her practicing Juuken in the spray of a waterfall- showed in every step, every small movement as she walked down the path through the garden toward the priest. There was no veil, only the white symbolizing both purity and death- because today she would be dying as a Hyuga- showed that she was, in fact, pure. _That, and her innocent blush,_ Naruto couldn't help himself from thinking.  
He was captivated by the sparkle of the bright sun off her eyes as they flicked once across the crowd, not coming to rest on anyone as she walked forward.

_Does she even see them? She looks a little... out of it._  
Where that had come from, Naruto couldn't say, but after she'd stopped in front of the priest, turning to face him, he saw that- as graceful as she'd been- she was, indeed, looking a little lost.

"H-" he caught himself at once, trying to turn the sound into a small cough as a blush crept up his own face. _Can't talk... it's not allowed. Not until we're done._

The priest began to chant without sitting, while Naruto tried his best to keep from squirming as the blood continued to flood his legs. Across from him, Hinata was almost motionless, but he could still see her breasts heaving underneath the white robes as she panted to maintain consciousness.

_You can do this, Hinata. I believe in you._

After what seemed an eternity, the priest's chanting had stopped. Now murmuring something, so deep and raspy that Naruto couldn't even understand him, the ancient man reached out a leathery hand to Hinata's wrist, and tied a red ribbon around it.

He reached out for Naruto's, and in his nervousness, the young man flung his own arm out to meet Hinata's, twining his fingers in her own. The priest paused, but not for long. With the slightest of shrugs, he continued and tied the same string around Naruto's wrist.

_It's... done?_  
But no. The priest was chanting again, the words both soothing and comforting, despite that Naruto had no idea what he was actually saying. Before him, he could see silent tears streaming down Hinata's face. Neither of them could control it any more, both were beaming at each other.

Just when the tears began to well in his own eyes, the chant stopped, and the priest stepped back, around them, and forward to stand before the crowd.

Then, in a clear voice that Naruto had no problems understanding, informed the crowd, "The families of Hyuga and Namikaze are joined. I present to you, Namikaze Naruto, and his bride, Namikaze Hinata."

The old man bowed to the crowd, stepped aside, and bowed to the two newlyweds, before backing five steps and turning to walk away.

Someone whooped, and in his dazed, blissful state, Naruto wasn't sure who- or even if it was a male or female.

But that sound, echoing in some small way his own elation, triggered a vast amount of noise, as everyone present began to clap, many cheering along with the first.

Naruto vaguely became aware that he should be paying more attention to the people that he'd been talking to for the last... however long it'd been. _Shit! Hoshi-sama was first in line, and I totally spaced it! He's gonna think I'm crazy, or stupid or something, now! And Obaa-chan- and Gaara! They probably think I'm-_

But his suddenly panicked thoughts quieted when the soft hand in his own gave him a little squeeze, and Hinata leaned over to him, whispering, "You've done fine, so far, Naruto. Don't panic. Just a few more old fogeys from my family, then our friends, and we can get out of here."

He blushed a little, but did his best to concentrate on the people he was talking to, though most of the remaining Hyuga passed in a blur.

When the line had shortened to just their friends, though, it perked up at once.

Of course, the first up was Kiba, and his first words made Naruto _almost_ regret inviting him.

"No, Kiba, I'm _not_ going to tell you how Hinata is 'in the sack', he practically roared, causing everyone present- even the old members of her family- to look over at him in shock.

"Fine, fine- I was just askin. Sorry, Hinata... didn't mean to embarrass _you_, the Inazuka said, grinning at the points he'd-in his eyes, at least- won against his rival.

Shino was much easier to deal with. In fact, the young man seemed almost eager to be gone. He had simply congratulated them both, then left.

Ino had been next, repeating the gesture, but gushed, "Sorry I can't stay long- Sakura needs me. I'll see you two lovebirds later."

Behind her had been Lee, who had been gracious enough to apologize for his girlfriend's haste, though Naruto and Hinata both were happy that she was leaving for a good cause. They both became a little uncomfortable when the shinobi started crying about the fires of youth burning so brightly in them both, but he was ushered along by Inoko, the first of his teammates to reach them.

"Sensei, I'm happy for you. Congratulations, both of you." She bowed sharply, blushing a little, and Naruto could tell- he could _see_ it in her eyes- that she still wasn't quite over her crush on him, but that she'd given up, at least.

"Thank you, Inoko-chan," Hinata said, giving the girl a nod.

Behind her, Kamisori and Tenchi- holding hands again- came up to the couple together, bowing and giving their own congratulations, followed by a sobbing Gai, a blunt and still emotionally-stunted Sai, and then Kurenai.

"Sensei," Hinata said before the older woman could even start to speak, "Thank you, _thank you_, for all you've done for me. I wouldn't... I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

The red-eyed woman smiled warmly and bent low to give Naruto a swift kiss on the forehead, and whispered to him, "Take care of her- or face me. And we both know you suck with Genjutsu."

He gulped, but nodded firmly, and the woman turned to her pupil.

"Hinata, you've grown into a splendid young woman. I've never been more proud of you in my life."

She bowed low over Hinata, kissing her forehead as well, and then turned away with tears in her eyes.

The last person in line could have been one of the first, but he had hung back deliberately.

"Iruka-sensei..."

The scarred ninja bowed low before both of them, and was smiling his warm, caring smile when he rose back up. "Listen... I want to say how proud I am of you both, too. I can't say I know you better than anyone else here, but... I've watched you both a long time. You aren't the little brats who used to ditch classes, or would never participate in groups anymore. You're both very strong, very brave, and I... damn it, I swore I wouldn't cry."

The olive-skinned Chunin's face darkened further as his own eyes began to leak salty tears. For the first time since their wedding was finished, Naruto wished he didn't have the ribbon tied around his hand. But when he stood, Hinata stood with him, and both wrapped their arms tightly around the man in front of them.

"Iruka-sensei," the blond choked out after a moment through his own tears, "thank you. Thanks for believing in me, for making me do all that stuff I hated. Thanks for showing me what it was like to... to have a family. To have a dad."

His words felt, even to himself, inadequate. There was no way he could express, even if he had five times the vocabulary, the feelings he felt for the man in his arms. But it seemed he understood, because before he pulled away, the older man whispered, "Of all my students, you've turned out the best, Naruto. My son."


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 32**

Haruno Sakura was thoroughly enjoying the last few hours she'd have with that name. Most of her friends had been with her all day, and aside from the few minutes Naruto had been at Ino's house early that morning, there had been no negativity, no fear, no jealousy, nothing to bring her down._ This has been a great day... and soon it's going to be the greatest day of my life._

Ino finally threw open the door of her house and said loudly, "I'm heeerree! Let's get your hair started, Sakura!"  
The pink-haired woman tried to turn her eyes to her best friend, but the blond's aging mother's hand shot out to Sakura's jaw and held her face forward. "Not quite yet, dear. Sorry- I'm almost done with your make-up, then you can move."

"Shormphy, Inose," Sakura tried to say, the firm hand on her jaw preventing the words from coming out clearly.

"It's fine- thanks for helping out, mom. The schedule's kind of tight- Tenten, Lee, and Inoko should be here soon, then we just have to get Sakura ready. The field's all set up."

Sakura turned a little pink in anticipation, and asked her friend from across the room, "How is Naruto? Did he do okay? He didn't screw it up, did he?"

_If he ruined it for Hinata, I'm gonna make him pay..._

"No, he did fine. He _almost_ let something slip, but faked a cough and the priest let it go. And he was a bit too eager... Hinata did fine too, in case you're wondering," the blond said with a mischievous grin, "in fact, she was almost _catatonic_ with excitement."

Sakura's eyes widened suddenly, causing the eyeliner the senior Yamanaka was putting on to smear. The old woman grumbled, though she still smiled at the wordplay between her daughter and her best friend as she wiped it off and repaired the damage.  
"She's not... she didn't pass out?"

Inoko came in the still-open door then, and answered for her mother with her black eyes rolling, "No, she was fine. A little dazed, maybe, but she was doing better than Sensei was."

_That's a relief. I don't think I could keep from giggling if I saw her passed out- or even close- at her own wedding. Then again, this _is_ Hinata..._

"So, mom's got your makeup... I've got your hair... after that, we're all going to get your dress on in shifts, getting our own dresses on at the same time. Should only take a few hours that way, and we can make it to the field on time."

Sakura nodded at her blond friend, with a eager smile.

* * *

_That's _it_! I've had it with that prick. He hasn't touched me in months, barely says a word. All I get now is grunts. Well, fuck him! If he can't even get a day off work to go to his own daughter's wedding, that's just the last straw. _I'm_ going. I'll be there for her, no matter what. And when I see him tonight- or maybe tomorrow, because I'm _sure_ as hell not waiting up for that bastard again- I'll give it to him straight. Either he treats me like his wife again, or I'm gone._

The woman began to pack almost at once. She knew, deep down, that it was already too late for her marriage- but she'd be damned if she let the same thing happen to her own daughter. And further damned if it was because she thought that at least one of her parents didn't support her union, even if it was a little unorthodox.

_And what's wrong with that, anyway? It's a free country, and times change. They should have the right to live their lives how they want! If it makes them happy, well... more power to 'em!_

_Hmph. While I'm at it, I think maybe I'll start keeping my eyes out for... well, single adults. Maybe I am still married, but it's been _two years, _and I'm tired of feeling alone._

She continued to throw her limited possessions- at least the few she cared about plus her clothes- into boxes as the hours ticked by. _It'll take me an hour to get to the site, and an hour to get ready... I have a little more time._

* * *

"Sakura... it's time."

The kunoichi turned bright pink, and pulled the veil down over her eyes, then took a deep, steady breath. "I'm ready. Is Naruto...?"

Her best friend gave a small smile, tears in her eyes already, "Yeah... I can't believe this. You're getting _married_. Before me, even!"

Both women giggled, then Ino ran forward to give the other woman a tight hug. "I love you, Haruno Sakura. Almost as much as I think I'll love Uzumaki Sakura, too."

The pink-haired woman smiled as well, but forced herself not to get teary- she wouldn't let her makeup run. "Love you too, Ino. Even if you are a p-"

"Sakura? Honey, is that you? Are you in there?"

Both ninja froze, the blond pulling slowly away from her friend to face the door, standing beside her. It opened with a small creak, revealing a slightly shorter, brown-eyed version of Sakura- with a few more lines on her face.

"Whew... I'm glad I made it. I figured I should be here to walk you down the aisle, if your worthless father couldn't be bother-"

She was suddenly being crushed in her daughters powerful arms. "Mom... mom... mom, I'm so glad you came. Thank you, _thank_ you!"

The senior Haruno patted her daughter's back awkwardly at first, then after a little while she returned the embrace, leaning her head into her daughter's shoulder, "I wouldn't miss it, my baby. My little girl... getting married. Kami, I can barely believe it."

"Well, I... I'm gonna go let Naruto know it's going to be a few more minutes. Take as long as you need, okay?" Ino said, edging toward the door.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Ino, it's fine," the blond man said a few minutes later. His eyes, like almost everyone else's present, were fixed on the door Ino herself had come out of in a rush. Only those closest had heard the news, but Naruto thought it both too personal and not worth sharing, so it didn't get passed along.

"But the caterers-"

He shook his head firmly, and muttered, "It's taken care of. It's her _mother_, Ino. They can take all night, for all I care."

Regardless, they didn't have long to wait. The music began to play, and Ino had to run back down the aisle to take the waiting elbow of Rock Lee, who promptly escorted her right back up it again, a silly grin on his own red face.

Behind the couple walked Neji and Tenten, Konohamaru and Moegi, and Udon and a shy-looking, bespectacled girl Naruto didn't know.

Each pair broke off to stand on either side, the males lining up behind Naruto and the women behind Ino, who was across from Lee.

Everyone, including Naruto, gasped as one when the two women stepped out of the doorway.

_Ss... Sakura..._

Any semblance of rational thought fled. Looking back, years later, it seemed strange to Naruto that while both women could recall every detail of their own weddings to him, and he could remember other events around that time with ease, even the receptions, but the moments from when his two wives had come into view until the ceremony ended, he had no recollection of at all. All he could remember was the feeling.

"-ura, take Uzumaki Naruto, to be your lawfully wedded husband, from this day forward, until death do you part? In sickness and in health, in prosperity or in lack, in-

That day, though, Naruto could hear words echoing in his head, words he'd heard- from both women, though one had said nothing, and from himself twice, though he'd only said it once-

"I do."

* * *

When the garters- both of them- were thrown, being caught by Choji and Shikamaru, respectively, the next event in their schedule was the cutting of the cake.

Everyone present- including himself- had expected Naruto to smear the confection over his new wife's lips at the first opportunity, but when his chance came, the young man found himself unable to mar her day in any way. Instead, he held the very small bite of white cake before her lips, allowing her to daintily take a bite without getting even a white mark on her lips. Throughout the act, her eyelids had fluttered daintily- whether from trying to be demure or from fear, Naruto couldn't have been sure. However, she was not quite so kind to him.

The part to be saved for their first-year anniversary was already set aside, so Sakura had no qualms whatsoever about moving forward slowly with her fork to take the pre-cut piece, then dropping it and digging her hands into the cake.

Naruto didn't have time to completely duck, and the cake skidded across the top of his hair, frosting side down, to splatter the watching Choji in the face.

Their friends and family were stunned, even Gaara had visibly reacted.

But when Naruto stood, his eyes wide, Sakura just grinned and said, "What? It's a party, isn't it?" and then flung another wide line of cake out into the crowd.

From there, the reception quickly degraded into full-blown chaos, as the shinobi tried- even in their best dress- to one-up the others.

Only Choji seemed to regret the sudden food-fight, and was heard later to be mumbling, "Such a waste of good cake..."

The sun had gone down at last, and clothes had been changed into much more casual dress for most of the attendees, possibly because of cake-related messes, when Ino called for everyone's attention.

"All right, you guys, _listen up_!"

She waited a little while, and then screamed the same thing again, faking real anger. The revelry paused at once.

"I just have some things to say. Then I think Naruto's best man needs to say some things, too- and then we can get some flowers thrown around, and get back to the party. Okay?"

There was a general murmur of assent, and Sakura and Naruto sat down on the nearest bench, followed quickly by Hinata. Those that could joined them, the rest were forced to stand.

Ino then stepped from the bench up onto a clear spot on the table, not taking her eyes off the newlyweds. "I've known you guys for a long time. One of you has even been my best friend for... hell, as long as I can remember. Sakura, you've stood by me through thick and thin. Even when we thought we loved the same guy, and we were the bitterest of rivals, you never cut me slack. You never went easy on me- and you never gave up on me, either.

"I couldn't have asked for a better friend. I wouldn't be the person I am without you. Until the day I die, you're going to be my best friend- whether you like it or not."

There were a few chuckles through the crowd, but Sakura only sniffed, her makeup already running down her face.

"Hinata... I don't know you as well, and I couldn't have called you a friend until just a few years ago, when you helped save my team's life. But that one great act turned into a million smaller ones. Your kindness and compassion for others- everyone- was made plain to me that day, and the little things you do, and have always done, to make our lives better every single day... I just wanted you to know that we all know. We all see it, even if we don't say anything. Even when you were that weird, shy girl that wouldn't talk to anyone, we saw it- at least a little. So thanks for being so great."

It seemed to Naruto that the blond kunoichi was starting to get a little flustered, like she wanted to say something else, but had run out of words. Recovering quickly, though, she turned her attention to Naruto. "And _you_. Where to even start? When we were kids... Kami we were dumb. I'm not going to fill this little speech with apologies for everyone. This isn't the time for regrets like that. But I do want to say that I'm glad I know- that we _all_ know- what kind of man you are, Uzumaki Naruto. You've won the hearts of two of Konoha's most eligible women at once. That's no easy feat. So... I guess what I'm trying to say is.. congratulations, all of you. We love you guys."

The applause was deafening, and the cheering combined with the sudden upsurge of affection in the field made Hinata almost pass out from the happiness of it all.

But when the still-bowl-cut Lee stood on the table next, with a faint bow to his girlfriend as she stepped down, the crowd fell silent.

_Oh crap, here it comes..._ thought Naruto.

But the shinobi- still clad in green, though it was a tuxedo- was silent for a long time as he looked at them.

But when he spoke at last, there was no hiding the emotion in his words, though thankfully his face remained dry. "Uzumaki Naruto. Unlike Ino, I want to start my speech by making an apology. When we met for the first time, I made a snap judgment about you. About your skill, your character, and your dedication. You remember that day as well as I do, so I won't go into the details."

At Naruto's side, Sakura also flushed to remember the quick defeat he'd had at the Taijutsu-specialist's hands just before the first part of their first Chunin exams.

"I have since learned how wrong I was. When you asked me to be your best man, I was surprised, even amazed. Your own teammate, Sai, would have made the better choice, I thought. Or Kiba, who is so like you. Or Neji, the friend who's entire life you changed for the better. But you chose me, a ninja who didn't need your help to become strong. At first, I was puzzled.

"But then, I talked to Ino about it, and she helped me figure a few things out. I mean no disrespect, but I believe that I, unlike Kiba, am the most like you. Your flaw as a ninja is your impatience, mine is my lack of jutsu. But because we have those flaws, we have both risen above them, both become strong on our own right. Through it all, we have both been determined to keep a positive attitude, and shown others what it means to be a splendid shinobi, and a splendid man."

Throughout the crowd, shocked, even awed murmurs were being whispered. But Naruto could only listen in amazement himself, thinking, _Wow, Lee... you got deep all of a sudden!_

"It is that quality, that fire of _youth_, that me and my Sensei prize so highly! You are my best friend, Naruto, and I am proud to have known you!"

_He couldn't resist, could he?_

But no one seemed to mind the sudden relapse into Gai-ittude.

Further congratulations were made, those few that had been at both weddings repeated their earlier words, and the ones only present for this one giving their own as well.

As the stars began to shine brighter and the moon sank below the horizon, Sakura turned to her husband and his other wife and asked softly, "Are you two ready to go?"

They both nodded, and the trio stood.

As they made their way quietly and unobtrusively as possible to the exit, almost every eye stopped to watch them anyway, but no one interrupted except the red-haired Kazekage, who stopped them at the door.

"Gaara... what's up?" Naruto asked.

The other man looked at him for just a moment, then said, "If you ever need a vacation, come to Suna." And without another word, he walked away.

"Did he... just invite us to take our honeymoon in a desert?" Hinata asked, surprised.

Naruto laughed quietly and answered, "Probably. But don't worry... not this time. I plan to make you both sweat enough _here_ in the middle of winter!"


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 33**

The three newlywed shinobi stood awkwardly in their living room, each wondering to him or herself exactly how the night would progress.

Finally, the silence was broken by the taller kunoichi, "Hinata, you go ahead. It's your first time, and it should be with just Naruto. I'll... go shower, and change into something more comfortable for later. Call me when you're... well, you want me to come in."

"H- Hai," the shorter woman said, her cheeks coloring a little more, "Thank you, Sakura-chan."

Hinata gave a short bow to Sakura and turned toward the hallway. She paused after a few steps, however, noticing that her husband still hadn't moved.

His other wife nudged him with her elbow, and he started, "Naruto," she hissed, "Hinata's waiting. _Go_!"

He turned a deep crimson, looking sideways at Sakura as if to apologize for leaving her alone while he had fun with Hinata, but she just smiled and murmured very quietly, "Be good to her- like you were to me."

At that, he nodded, smiling slightly, and followed Hinata into their bedroom.

_Hell... I still don't know if I can do this. If I can even be in the house with them, knowing what's going on._

She waited just a few minutes before the sound of low talking and giggling drove her to dig into the luggage she'd taken to Ino's the day before for her last set of clean clothes. _May as well really shower... so I can smell good later, if I can even stand to be in the same room with 'em._

At first, the woman's mind stayed strictly away from any thoughts of what would be going on by now in the bedroom, and her shower was strictly that- a way to get clean.

But the harder she avoided it, the sneakier the thoughts became, until she had begun to rub her hands up and down her stomach, thighs, and sides with more than just utilitarian intent.

_Damn it. Well... at least this way I can get 'in the mood'... if seeing them together doesn't kill it for me._

It had been a long time since Sakura had pleasured herself- in fact, it had been right after Hinata had moved in with them and Sakura had moved her belongings back. _But it's not like you can forget things like that._

The warmth spreading between her legs told the woman she wouldn't need much in the way of preparation, but she still felt the need to give Hinata and Naruto more time, so she turned the water onto high and angled it so it'd be hitting her groin when she lay back into the small tub, and sat down.

_Oh yeah... right there._ Sakura pinched both nipples simultaneously, twisting the already-hard nubs around between her fingers for a moment as she allowed the hot water to beat on the sensitive skin between her legs. "Nnn... feels pretty good."

But she wanted more. _He's probably inside her right now... I hope he didn't hurt her too bad. _

The image that thought conjured in her head was a little painful, yes, but infinitely more arousing. "Ooh... I hope they call me soon," she muttered to herself, bringing one hand down to tug lightly on the patch of pink hair above her mons. Her eyes twitched in pleasure as she slipped one finger inside, curling it up and twisting it around for what felt like an eternity, then slipped in another.

The medic could feel her body temperature rising with every heavy breath as her two fingers began to pump furiously in and out of her. She could feel the muscles in her vagina beginning to clench around her fingers, and her hips started to shake before she could actually feel the orgasm coming on, but when it washed over her, she gasped out with the intensity of it.

_Kami that felt good! Almost as good as Naruto doing it- _

And just like that, she was ready for more. But the abundant hot water was already cooling noticeably. _Have I really been in here all that long? Have they been calling for me?_

Stretching while enjoying the last tingling vestiges of her orgasm, Sakura stood up and rinsed herself off again to erase any scent or taste of sweat or her juices from her before stepping quickly out of the shower and toweling herself off.

* * *

"I...I... I'm sorry to make you wait, Naruto-kun... I know you're probably eager to get... to get... umm..."

The arm her husband had around her shoulder gave her a little squeeze, and she leaned into him.  
"It's fine, Hinata. She's part of this, and if you want her here, I understand completely. So... let's give her a little time to work herself up, and if you're ready then, we can. I'm not going to force anything on you until you're ready."

The care and concern in his voice was profound, as was the effect the words had on the dark-haired woman. She tilted her face up and to the side to kiss his jaw, then whispered, "Do you think she'd care if I... if I watched? Her, I mean?"

Naruto's eyes widened, and he whispered back, "Do you... umm... do you want to?"

Hinata nodded, and said at the same volume, "Take your boxers off- husband. I shouldn't be the only one enjoying myself."  
He did as she asked, a little awkwardly, then resumed his position sitting against their large, mahogany headboard, now totally naked.

For her part, Hinata was only wearing her bra and panties- a matching pair, white with delicate cherry blossoms woven into the fabric. Naruto, when she'd first slipped off the white robe she had been wearing for most of the day, had froze, absolutely speechless at the sight. _He... he must really think I'm beautiful._  
Her cheeks had turned bright red, and she had almost fainted when his strong arms wrapped themselves around her, pressing her face into his strong chest. "Hinata- don't faint. You don't have anything to be shy about, you are _gorgeous_. Kami, you can feel what kind of effect you have on me..."

She giggled, because she had indeed noticed his hard length pressing against her stomach.

Now, though, Hinata's eyes were fixed on what, to Naruto, was the blank wall between the two women's dressers, and she was almost unblinking.

The woman's breaths were already picking up in frequency, and one hand had begun to twitch. The other slid up Naruto's bare leg, making the muscles on that side of his body quiver at her feather-light touch.

And then, without warning and without hesitation, her small, pale hand wrapped itself as far as it could go around his engorged manhood. "Kami, Hinata..."

She jerked, startled, but didn't take her eyes off the wall. "Sorry, Naruto... did I squeeze to hard?"

He shook his head and said, "Not really... a bit, but not too much."

She moved her hand up and down his length a few times, slowly, still not looking at him. "She's laying down in the tub... one hand between her legs. You were right."

The man chuckled distractedly, "Yeah... I knew she would be horny if we left her out."

That got Hinata to look at him for a few seconds, grinning, "Do you... like this? Am I doing it right?"

For once, he seemed to not know what to say, but after a while he said, blushing, "Kind of. I mean... it feels good, but it won't... umm... it won't 'finish' me like that. You have to... umm..."

Now her eyes left the wall for good, and she relaxed the kekkei genkai. "She's getting out. She'll be here soon. So... Naruto..."

He didn't respond, only looked into her eyes, until she purred out, "Tell me how to make you feel good. I want to... The first time, I want to make you finish while she watches."

"Uh... okay, but... if I come like this, it'll be messy, and it'll be a little while before I..."

She nodded, "I know. I've... umm... read some things. I know a little bit about... this kind of thing."  
Naruto could see the woman's nipples poking through her bra, could smell the arousal coming off of her in waves. _That's probably why she's not blushing or fainting- too excited. Not that I blame her... I love her so much!_

"I guess if that's... what you want."

She nodded and whispered, "Sakura's almost here... show me what to do."

* * *

When the kunoichi reached the closed door of their bedroom, she stopped, standing in the middle of the hall in nothing but her underwear and the moist towel. She could hear occasional grunting from the other side of the door, and low voices. She thought she might have heard "Kami, yes, just like that... feels so good..." at one point, but she may have been imagining it- or fearing it.

_Guess they're still going at it... and don't want me to intrude yet. I'll wait... _

She leaned back against the wall, but it was just then that Hinata's quiet voice came through the heavy door, "Sakura-chan... open the door, please."

_Kami, I'm so scared... what if I can't take it? What if I can't watch them...? If I see him inside her, I might... kami... what am I supposed to do?!"_

"Sakura? Are you all right?"

_Naruto... you're with _her_... why are you so worried about me?_

"Sakura, open the door _right now_."

The command in the Hyuga's voice- bred into her for generations, and trained into her whether she wanted it or not- was unmistakable. Before she knew what she was doing, the woman had turned the knob and pushed the heavy wood open.

To her surprise, the other woman was still partially clothed- as dressed as she was, at least- and while she was looking more deliberately seductive than Sakura had even seen her, there was still that undefinable air of... innocence. _They haven't... still?_

"Sorry, Sakura," Naruto apologized, and the woman's green eyes were drawn to his while he spoke, "She... wanted to watch you, then she wanted you to watch... umm... this," he finished lamely, nodding down.

Her eyes followed his down his chest to see the other woman's pale, tiny hand sliding up and down his shaft slowly, and her eyes widened.

"Sakura-chan... do you like this? Do you like watching me... umm... jerk Naruto... off?"

The nod was almost imperceptible, but that question answered so many others that had been plaguing the pink-haired kunoichi for months. _If I can watch this... if I can enjoy it, I can... yes. I can do this._

"I... yes. I think I do."

Hinata smiled, leaning down over Naruto's chest to kiss the very tip of his penis, "And did you like watching me do that?"

The other woman nodded again, causing Naruto's eyes to widen as well.  
"Do you want to watch me give him a... a blow job?"

"Y- yes."

The Hyuga's mouth crinkled into a wide smile, while Naruto looked down at the top of her head, amazed. _Shy Hinata... is like this? Not that I'm complaining- hell, not about this! But it's... a bit of a sh- _oh Kami!

Without another word, the woman's warm, wet mouth engulfed the top half of his length, and she moved her hair back with one hand to let the other woman watch as she began to move.

"Hi-nata..."

Both Naruto and Sakura had said it at the same time, down to the hesitation. The other woman stepped back to lean against the now-closed door, and slid her back down it, not sure if her knees would hold up any longer. _She looks so good doing that..._

She didn't even notice her hands sliding underneath her panties- one under and one over her leg- until the one on top grazed over the already-swollen sheath of her clitoris, eliciting a sudden squeal. But the surprise didn't slow her down anyway- the top hand began to move over and around the nub in little circles, the one beneath her leg twisting and sliding in and out of the entrance to her dripping sex.

Naruto's hips twitched once, twice, and then a third time, before his arms slid underneath the woman beside him and lifted her up in one motion. "No... stop. No more... I can't take any more."

"But Naruto-kun-"

"No, Hinata," he said firmly while pushing her down onto the bed on her back, "you've had your way all night long. It's my turn."

She looked a little scared, but the care in his eyes- despite his forceful words and actions- told her she would be all right.

His large, calloused hands went first to her bra, and with only two fingers each he separated the thin strip in the center and let go, while Hinata whimpered, "My favorite bra..."

But for his part, Naruto was glad of the distraction- it meant she wouldn't faint at the hungry way both he and Sakura were now staring at the woman's ample chest. "Kami, Hinata... I knew you were pretty big, but this is more than I expected," he murmured, reaching down with both hands to fondle one of her breasts each.  
"Don't say that, Naruto-kun" she moaned, "they aren't that-"

And then she jumped as another voice, right beside her ear, said softly, "Yes they are, Hinata. Even Ino would be jealous... but I'm not. Because I can share them with you. Right?"

"Ano... umm... yes, of course, Sakura-chan... if you want... to..."

The taller woman looked up into the enraptured face of Naruto and asked, "Can I play with them too, Naruto? Or are you going to be selfish with me?"

_I didn't think... she'd be so eager, either!_

"Of... of course, Sakura. You can... I mean, if it's okay with Hinata, I mean..."

But Sakura didn't ask the other woman's opinion before she brought her head down to Hinata's right nipple, and took it into her mouth just as Naruto was so fond of doing to her own. _It's... not as weird as I thought it would be. Just like... a warm straw. But that's not right, because a straw doesn't make me feel so... and it's soft. And hard, too... just like... wow. I could get used to this._

Sakura turned slightly when she felt Naruto's head come down right next to hers, and Hinata moaned when his mouth took the other nipple in.

"It feels so... don't stop, okay? Either of you... please?"

As one, Sakura and Naruto left her nipples alone to share a look, both grinning. "Hey, I-"

"Do you want more, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked in a firm voice.

"Y... yes, I do..."

"Say it."

"I... I did?"

"No," Sakura said, "_beg_ for it. Show us how much you want us to keep sucking your big tits."

The woman beneath the pair's neck began to turn red with more than just excitement, but she stammered out at last, "I want it... please, please suck my tits! It feels so good, I don't want you to stop!"

"Hmm... I guess that'll do," Sakura said, returning her mouth to the same breast, her hand taking the other.  
"I guess Sakura's being selfish now," Naruto said, grinning himself, "but that's okay. I have work to do... down here."

He didn't ruin the panties though- instead, he slid them off slowly, kissing each revealed inch of flesh as he went, while his second wife continued to play with his first's ample bosom. "Hinata... have you always shaved?" he asked when he allowed himself to look, surprised.

She finished the blush then, and stuttered, "N-n-no... Hanabi-chan... umm... helped me."

Naruto's eye twitched, but Sakura, rather than hitting him for thinking perverted things, only took her mouth off Hinata's nipple long enough to murmur, "Don't worry, Hinata- you won't have to have your little sister help you any more. If you want to shave, I can help you- and you can help me."

Naruto grumbled something about how women must like to shave their first time, but neither woman reacted.

When he brought his head between Hinata's legs where she was laying near the edge of the bed, though, her thighs tensed suddenly under his hands. "N... Naruto-kun, are you... are you sure you-"

Sakura's finger on her lips caused her to fall silent, and she said softly, "Don't worry, Hinata... it's no worse than your mouth on him. And it feels _so_ good... Naruto's really good at it."

A twinge of something that may have been jealousy flickered across the dark-haired woman's face, but it was gone in a flash, replaced by anticipation. "Umm... I guess you... if you want to, Naruto-kun..."

"Oh," he answered, smiling wickedly, "I do. I _really_ do."

He got a little closer and sent the tiniest thread of chakra to his nose, giving a little sniff. _She smells a lot different than Sakura-chan... will she taste different, too?_

But he didn't wait to find out. Her hips gave an involuntary jerk the first time he thrust his tongue into her folds, and it was so violent it actually threw Sakura off of her. But he didn't give up. He went right back in, but skirted that spot for a few seconds. _She's... pretty nervous. Guess I should start slow._

He didn't wait as long as he had for Sakura's first time, though, because he could smell how ready she was already, he could see the slightly translucent fluid running in a thin stream out of her womanhood onto the bedspread.  
Instead, after a few minutes to let her mentally prepare herself, his tongue jabbed once again as far inside her as it would go before withdrawing and pushing it in again.

He repeated the motion over and over, one hand on her thigh and the other rubbing circles just above her extended clit, while she began to shake and moan.

"N...Naruto... Sakura-chan... I... I think I'm going to..."

"Let it go, Hinata," Sakura urged, and Naruto could tell she was getting close herself. His eyes flicked up for a moment from his task between Hinata's legs to see that she had a hand between her own again, as well. _I hope I can... last once we get started. I haven't... I came close a few times, but they..._

Indeed, his sac was throbbing painfully with every rapid beat of his heart, and he could feel his dick aching as well. _But she's almost... I can wait._ "Just a little longer..." he said quietly, not even aware he'd said it out loud, as Hinata's rapture flooded through her at last.

He rose up over her and Sakura to look down at them, watching their chests heave as they shared a passionate kiss. "Are you... ready? I don't think I can wait much... longer," he said, and Hinata looked away from Sakura to look up at him.  
"I'm ready, Naruto-kun. Please... put it in me."

He nodded once, glancing over at Sakura to make absolutely sure she was okay with it, to find an unnoticed trickle of drool at the corner of her mouth as she stared raptly at his member.

"Okay... I'll go slow. Tell me when you want me to start moving."

She nodded again, and Sakura took one of her hands in her own as he positioned himself before her.

Hinata felt the slightest pull as he slid himself a little ways in, and then a quick tightness and a flash of horrendous pain that faded slowly.

When she recovered enough to make sense of her surroundings again, she was surprised to see her hand still clutching Sakura's tightly, while the other woman's soft, firm lips were kissing away her tears with incredible tenderness.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan," Naruto said quietly, "after it started to hurt, I... I figured it would be best to get it over with."

She forced herself to nod, and looked down toward where their bodies were joined. _He's still inside... and I'm still... oh kami, I want him to _move_._

"It's all right, Naruto... it was just... worse than I had expected. You can... start now. Slowly, please."

He nodded, giving her a second to change her mind, before he began to slide himself back out.

His length had been about half way withdrawn when he first noticed the bright tinge of red coating him. _Hinata... I'm sorry..._

Sakura, being attuned to the smell of blood, knew at once that it had indeed been her first. "Hinata... if you want me to, I'll take the pain away. It won't be as... good, though, if I do."

To her credit, the indigo-haired woman shook her head firmly, "No... no. It doesn't hurt much, anymore. I want to keep going. Do it, Naruto."  
The command was back in her voice, and it was that which convinced him she was being honest.

_I can't let it bother me. It's natural, just a little blood. Besides... I can't tell anyway, if I don't look._

He slid in again slowly, and Hinata gave the tiniest of winces, but her hands flew to grasp his buttocks before he could pull away in worry, holding him inside.

Sakura smiled at the act, then leaned down to kiss Hinata again while Naruto slowly built up speed.

Wanting her first time to be as pleasurable as possible, Sakura once again resumed her attention on the other woman, kissing along her neck, jaw, and collarbone before gliding her hands around and up each breast in concentric circles. When she reached the nipple, Sakura looked back at Naruto and smiled, giving each one a hard flick, causing each breast to jiggle, and their owner to gasp.

"That's... wow..." Naruto said through his pants.  
Hinata could see the sweat on his neck and forehead, could feel it on herself as well, but all of that information- often so useful to a ninja- was made pointless next to the tactile sensations she was receiving from Sakura on her upper half, and Naruto on her lower. While he thrust in and out, now at a medium speed, one hand continued to run fingers up and down and around her clean womanhood, occasionally delivering the lightest touch- _and how does he do that, when he's focused so much on-_ to her core.

Sakura watched them both with a small smile, thinking, _This isn't hard. It's not painful. This is... amazing. He's being so good to her. He loves her so much... but the way he made me feel, it's the same. I can't wait for my turn..._

Her practiced eyes, so used to watching the details of how the human body worked, didn't miss the signs of both of her spouses' climaxes building. Naruto's eyes had screwed shut, but they still opened occasionally to catch glimpses of the woman panting before him with each thrust. Hinata was gasping for air, now that his rhythm had increased, she could barely find time to inhale before the breath was forced from her lungs. But her body was aching for release, even worse than it had been the day she'd walked in to catch Sakura masturbating to the thought of her in the shower with Naruto.

And that thought tipped her over the edge of reality.

She screamed out, "Naruto!" all indications of shyness gone in the rapture of it, her voice loud and clear for the first time in her life.

A moment later, the blond grunted out, "I'm... Hinata!" and the rhythmic pumping of his hips stopped, though Sakura could still see the powerful muscles of his legs and buttocks quivering, his penis flexing rapidly as it pumped his seed deep inside the woman.

"Hmm..." she said, smiling widely now, "that was... beautiful. When is it my turn?"


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 34**

The young kunoichi flexed beside him, causing Konohamaru to be- just a little bit- distracted from watching their target. "Moegi, you gotta stop that," he muttered softly, making sure his radio was turned off.  
"Stop what?" she asked, looking over at him with an innocent expression.

He could feel his cheeks heat when he looked away and said very quietly, "Stop stretching like that. It's distracting."

"... how? It's just a stretch."

"Nevermind," he grumbled, "not worth explaining to you." He toggled his radio before she could respond, "Udon, he started to move yet?"

The reply was staticky, but understandable, "No. I don't think he'll leave the bed for the rest of the night. Should we move in?"

Their team leader's voice responded, loud and clear to the young couple, "If he hasn't moved in ten minutes. Remember, we have to capture, not kill. And spare the wife, if we can. She's probably innocent of all of this."

There was a round of agreement, and Moegi muttered after turning her own transmit off, "Damn straight. I've never seen Sakura-sensei so happy as she was when her mom came to the wedding. She's a nice lady, probably doesn't have anything to do with her rat husband."

The next few minutes passed in silence, only the light breeze rustling the leaves of the tree the pair were in and a single dog nosing through a neighbor's garbage disturbed the quiet night of Konohagakure.

"Move in," the order came suddenly, and without hesitation both made the leap from the tree to the roof of the home in a single jump.

"Moegi, go right," Konohamaru said, and without a word she split off to cover the side door from above. "Udon, you be careful in there," he added, knowing that his friend- while the weakest fighter among them- was far from worthless, as well.

"Right," the math-loving teen replied as he made the dash from his wait in the home's basement- which he'd infiltrated hours before when both of it's residents were gone.

There was a few minutes of silence as Konohamaru and Moegi waited above the front and side doors, both using jutsu to camouflage their appearance from any onlookers.

"He's coming," the voice of their other teammate said, "Looks like through the front. Sorry- I kicked a trash can, woke him up."

"No problem, Udon. Stay in, make sure Ms. Haruno doesn't wake up. If she stays out, check for the documents- they're in his bedroom somewhere, I think," the Konohamaru said, preparing to tackle the older man as soon as he was in sight.

"Ebisu-sensei," Moegi asked, "should I help Kono or Udon?"

The reply came just as the door below him creaked open, "Udon. Konohamaru-sama can take care of himself, and I'm ready to back him up as well."

The girl dropped out of the boy's sight at once, and then he jumped as well. Below him, the broad back- dressed in a flannel shirt- of Sakura's father came into view. "Gotcha!"

There wasn't much of a fight. The older man struggled, but with the ninja's superior training, skill, and position atop the other man's back, there wasn't much he could do. In less than a minute he'd passed out from lock the teen had on his windpipe.  
"Target's out," he said breathlessly, "ready for extraction."

"On my way," their sensei and team leader replied, "Udon, Moegi, you have one hour. If you haven't found them by then, the backup team is coming to secure the home and Ms. Haruno."

* * *

_She was in a familiar place. It was cold, dark, and she was alone. _Not again... not here, not now... I was free... I was with... no... no no no...

_Despair rushed in with a vengeance. Before, there had been nothing- no pain, no suffering, only the long, cold silence. This time, though, there was a minor alteration- but it wasn't reassuring.  
She was in pain. Not horrible, not anything close to as much as she could bear, but it was a dull, throbbing pain that grew momentarily worse with every beat of her heart._

Maybe I should just give up...

Maybe if I stayed here, it won't hurt anymore... maybe it'll go away.

No! I can't!

Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan are waiting for me... they saved me. They _saved_ me! I have to go to them! I have to...

I have to...

_But the cold kept growing worse._

_While the pain didn't increase, in fact she thought she was becoming numb to it, the temperature in her tiny cell began to drop, and she was only vaguely aware that she had begun to shiver._

I don't want to be here...

I don't want to stay here any more...

I have to leave. I... I...

_But she was alone, and no one answered her calls. _

_There was only the dark, and the bitter, biting cold, and the pain._

_* * *_

"Sakura, what's _wrong_ with her?!" the man cried out for the tenth time, causing the woman beside him to practically scream out her response.

"I don't _know_, Naruto! Go- go get me some water! Get out of here, so I can work!"

He gulped, then ran to do what she'd asked. It had been a long time since he'd panicked. He had been just a boy then, but seeing Hinata in that bed, shaking uncontrollably after waking him from a dead sleep had broken his control in an instant.

He reached the kitchen in seconds and returned a few later with a full glass of cool water.  
"Sakura, here- water. Do you-"

But the kunoichi ignored him and said, "Help me get her robe off."

"W- what?"

"_Do it, Naruto!_"

His training kicked in at last, and things began to come back into focus. _Sakura is one of the best medics in the village- maybe the world. She loves Hinata, she won't let her die. She's going to stay with us._

"It's a seizure, I think it's the same type as she had before. Hold her down for a second."

He complied at once, placing both strong hands on her shoulders, but even he had to grunt with the effort to still the woman long enough for Sakura to bend low and kiss her.

But nothing happened, the shaking continued.

"It's not working... that's what stopped it last time, after she woke up from her coma," Sakura explained to her curious husband, "But I don't know... you try it," she finished, putting her own hands over his.

He repeated the gesture, but the woman still didn't stop.

"I... I can't let it go on. When the shaking is this strong, it can rip her muscles to shreds. I might have to temporarily paralyze her- Can you roll her over?"

He tried, but the flailing arms and legs kept him from succeeding. Instead, Hinata's leg lashed out and pushed his knee out from under him, and he fell down prone beside her on the bed.

Her shaking slowed almost at once.

"Did... _no_, Naruto! Don't move... hold her tight!"

The blond was still staring at her like she was crazy, but the medic had just had an idea. Copying Naruto, the pink-haired woman laid herself down next to the other as well and scooted in as far as she could toward her, ignoring the other woman's legs and arm beating against her. "Hinata, you aren't alone... we're here for you. Naruto and I are both here. You don't have to be cold... you don't have to be alone. Don't... Come on, Naruto, talk to her."

She was beginning to calm, but it was slow going as both of their voices began to reach the depths of the other woman's unconscious.

* * *

"Excellent work, you three," the ANBU operative said, scratching underneath his mask with one finger. "The Hokage has been waiting for this mission to be completed eagerly. Ebisu, your work has been noted, as well. I'll take the prisoner down to the cell, you four are all dismissed."

Each of the four ninja bowed to the special ops shinobi and turned to leave the Tower.

Without a word, the masked ninja began to drag the prisoner- without much care for any injuries he might sustain- into the building. _It's just dumb luck they brought him in when I'm alone on duty tonight. I'm not going to let this bastard get away with taking Kumio-chan away from me. He's going to pay!_

* * *

_There was a sudden light, and warmth began to flood her cell._

_But she couldn't think, couldn't feel anything except the cold as she continued to shiver. It was too late, she was fading fast, already almost gone..._

"_Hinata, don't go-"_

"_-always be here for you, you aren't alo-"_

That's right... Naruto-kun. Sakura-chan. We got _married_. We're always going to be together...

_The light continued to grow brighter, and slowly, her mind began to warm again, heated by the love she could both see and feel in her husband and wife. _

_And then the scene shifted._

_She wasn't in a cell any more, instead she was high on a mountain peak, looking down over a vast, sprawling city that filled the great valley below from side to side, even creeping up onto the lower slopes._

Iwagakure. I've seen it before.

_The city itself was about four times Konoha's size, though their Academy was smaller and produced less shinobi. Beside her, Hinata could see a vaguely familiar, well-dressed man standing on the edge of the precipice she was on._

"_You're sure the genjutsu will hold? The Byakugan is a powerful kekkei genkai."_

"_Yes," she answered in a man's voice that caused echoes in her head, "it's techniques are not the same as the Sharingan. While it can pierce genjutsu, she must know it's there, first. And it's so subtle, I doubt she'll notice until it's too late. And even if she does break it, the conditioning Danjiro implemented should still hold. We can count on her."_

"_Very well," the older man replied, "you've done excellent work so far_, _Kamagi. I've been familiar with your family's skills for years, and I still find it hard to believe that you were able to manipulate the Suna spy into thinking that the dreams were sent by Danjiro. It's a shame making such a skilled shinobi your patsy, but... he filled his purpose, did he not?"_

_Hinata grunted, the sound low and satisfied, "Hai, Tsuchikage-sama. Shall I go back and rejoin the men?"_

_The other man looked up from the city below into the crystal-clear sky for a few minutes before replying, "Yes. In fact, you have done so well lately, that I think I'll reward you. Go to my tent, and inform Kubusho that you can have Sinda entertain you tonight. I know you've had your eye on her."_

_She bowed, feeling her lips curve into a wide smile, "Thank you, Iwakage-sama. I have been."_

_The scene shifted again as she turned to begin walking down the narrow mountain path._

_Now, she was in a familiar room- her own bedroom in the Hyuga estate.  
"Hinata, your friends are calling for you. When are you going to get up?"_

"_I'm coming, Neji-san... I'm sorry I overslept. I'll be up in a moment..."_

And then she woke up to see the sun shining in the large window of their shared bedroom, Naruto and Sakura both fast asleep to either side of her. She was the only one naked.

_I didn't think it would feel so good... and hurt so much, after. But they say that goes away, and doesn't come back._

Then Hinata was struck by _real_ pain- the memory of her dream springing fresh and intact into her waking mind. This time, though, was different. She had no more started to shake with the fear memory brought than two arms, one thick and one thin, both warm and muscular, snaked around her. They brought with them heat, safety, and peace. As their touch did when she was unconscious, the woman immediately relaxed.

_No... there won't be any more cells for me. Not when I have these two with me._

* * *

A few hours later, an alarm was raised in the Hokage Tower. The ANBU assigned to patrol the lower two floors that night hadn't met with his masked replacement at ten. A thorough search was made by other black ops shinobi, but they found no signs of ambush or struggle- as if their comrade had just abandoned his post in the night- something unheard of since the inception of their force.

"What are you talking about, Tenzo? ANBU don't just disappear!"

The tall, masked shinobi bowed to the Hokage and muttered an apology. "I'm sorry, Tsunade-hime, but it seems he did just that. Cougar... he was a good man. I don't see him just up and leaving, not without a reason, but he would have sent word by now. Any way he could- if it was possible. So that means something happened- he's either been taken out without a struggle, and he's strong- he was on my team for a few years. Either that... or he left of his own will... or thought he did."

The old woman turned back around from gazing out the large window to see the masked man on one knee before her desk. "Get up. There's no time for kneeling when we have work to do."

"Hai, Tsunade-hime," he said quietly and stood.  
There was a knock on the door before the woman could give his instructions, however.

"Enter," she growled, obviously displeased- Yamato had heard her order, quite clearly, to the ninja outside her door that she was not to be disturbed while Yamato was in her office.

However, her anger melted when she saw the man who'd walked in. "Genma... I'm glad you're back. Was your mission successful?"

The Jonin nodded, sparing a glance at the masked ANBU, but standing at attention, gave his initial report without hesitation. "As per orders, I infiltrated Iwagakure's Academy, posing as a near-graduate under a transformation jutsu. For the first two weeks, I learned nothing- it's possible the Genjutsu I used to keep suspicion away from my sudden appearance was weaker than I had thought. But then I overheard a rumor that piqued my interest."

The blond woman scowled and murmured, "No time for checking out girls, Genma."

Yamato was surprised to see the Jonin look at the Hokage with a bit of worry that she actually meant it, but stammered out anyway, "No, no- that's not what I meant. It was a rumor about some new weapon. They're developing... something. It's kind of a transport, I guess- an armored wagon, with a siege engine mounted on top. Used for carrying troops and ammunition for the weapons, I think."

"You think? That's not like you, Genma. Don't you _know_?"  
The sudden wrath in the old woman's voice made Yamato- who wasn't even it's target at the moment- flinch in fear. But the other man didn't seem to react at all.

"No, Tsunade-chan. I was unable to infiltrate the factories where they are being built- the security is exceptional. I was able to get a few glimpses as they were transported, but that's about it. The longest I was able to look at one was for about five hours- I had stowed away while five were being sent out to the field."

_Tsunade... _chan_? What the hell- there's no way she'll let him get away with that!_

But contrary to the ANBU's belief, the Hokage didn't even seem to notice the slip of the tongue. She nodded once, then replied sternly, "Fine. I guess I'll have to send a full Jonin team in- but get me maps of every place you went. The Academy, the factories, where they are in the city, and so on. You know the drill. And any information you have on these wagons... what they're made out of, armor, the weaponry, how many men..."

She trailed off, and the masked ninja was sure that the other man would take the hint and leave, but he stayed, unmoving, for three full minutes until she spoke again. "T- Yamato. Put two teams together. Check with Sai as well to see if his ROOT contacts have anything to do with it. Find out what happened to Cougar, no matter what. And if you find anything at all about the man he had supposedly brought to a cell..."

This time, it was clear that the trailing off of the old woman's words was a dismissal, and Yamato took it as such. He bowed once, "Hokage-sama," and then left.

_Maybe she's just waiting to yell at him in private... she knows I wouldn't blab._

But the man had only gotten a few steps out the door, it hadn't even shut completely, when he heard Tsunade say in a soft voice, "Come here, love. I missed you."


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 35**

"No, Naruto... I don't need to explain myself to you."

"But Granny Tsunade," he repeated, growing frustrated now with her flat-out refusal to give him an answer- any answer.

The old woman, however, was growing tired of the conversation as well, though for different reasons. "You know what? Fine. I will tell you. _Graphically_. And using every medical terminology I can think of. Maybe _then_ you'll get why I want you do drop it and leave it alone!"

The young ninja blushed furiously, but didn't back down. "So, it's just about... s... s... sex, then? He's an attractive younger man, and he likes your... umm..."

_Such an idiot... always jumping to the worst conclusions. But that's Naruto._

"No, it's _not_ just about sex," she answered, now not caring who heard- even him. "I _love_ him. Don't you get it?"

The blond man took a half step backward in shock, then the Hokage, rolling her eyes at his behavior, sat back down slowly behind her desk.

"But... Obaa-chan... I thought you... you know, loved... umm... the p... I mean, Master Jaraiya?"

The snorted and looked away, "That old lecher? As if."

He didn't say anything, but when her brown eyes met his piercing blue ones, they were shocked at the insight he possessed- again. _But what else can I expect when he acts like an idiot all the time? He's a hell of a lot smarter than he lets on, and I, for one, should know better than to underestimate him._

"Tch. Fine, I used to have a bit of a thing for him. Happy?"

He scowled, and muttered, "Didn't do either of you any good though, did it?"

She rolled her eyes again and reached for the sake bottle. "Naruto... either way, he died years ago. It's all in the past. And it wouldn't have been any of your business, anyway. Why do you think I haven't come home in a week? It's to give you three some privacy- because as much as I love the three of you, it's _not_ my business, so I wanted to give you some space. Just like, as much as you care about me, it's _not_ your business what goes on in my love life."

For a while, he seemed torn- on the one hand, it was obvious to the older woman that he did not, in fact, want to hear _any_ details of her 'love life'. On the other, he really _did_ care about her a lot, and he wanted her happy. And that was what she needed to end the conversation once and for all.

"Look, Naruto... I understand. Really, I do. I'm glad you care so much, and that you want my last few years to be happy. But you need to trust me. Trust that I know what will make me happy better than you do. Okay?"

He didn't respond for a long time. "So... I'm just supposed to let it slide that you're... involved... with a guy half your age?"

An eyebrow twitched, but he ignored it, one hand clenched, and the other vibrating with tension. She sighed and nodded, "Yes. That's exactly what you're supposed to do. And who're you to talk, anyway? I let you get married to _two women_, Naruto. Valuable, powerful shinobi of Konoha. So what right do you have to question my decisions about love?"

He pinked a little, but she saw the one hand stop shaking, and the other relax until it hung limply at his side.

"I'm glad you understand, now. But we have another matter to discuss. I'm sure you remember this, but it bears repeating. In four days I'm stepping down, and later today we're holding Temari and Shikamaru's wedding. A week after that, will be Neji and Tenten's. You know all that, right?"

He nodded, a little sullenly, she thought, but he would get over it as soon as they started to work.

"Right, then. There's a lot of paperwork involved in the weddings, and I need your help. The Hokage stuff is surprisingly easy, just a couple of papers- and I need to show you how to get into the restricted files. That's it."

He nodded again, more normally, and took the last few steps forward to sit at his usual chair before her desk. "It's kind of hard to believe... that after working for it so long, I'm going to be Hokage in a few more days."

She rolled her eyes again, grinning, "I know. I can't believe I'm so cruel- that I'd inflict you on Konoha that way. But I'm a bitch, I guess. What else can I say?"

He laughed with her, and they began the work.

"So... why are two weddings so much work?"

"Naruto... you haven't been paying much attention, have you? Shika's wedding is also being used to cement ties between Suna and Konoha. That's a big deal. As for Neji, his is more minor, but the Hyuga have a lot of requests involving making sure Tenten is a suitable bride- not that they'd refuse, now that she's obviously pregnant- but it still takes work. So let's get to it."

* * *

"That's right," Hinata said, smiling at the young, black-haired girl, "according to my family's records, the Sharingan evolved from the Byakugan a generation before the founding of Konoha. It first came into it's final form in a man named Uchiha Madara. And as far as anyone in Konoha knows, you are the last living descendant of that line."

The girl nodded solemnly, and asked, "Ano... Hina... I mean, Namikaze-sensei, is-"

But she was interrupted by a kind, warm smile, "Inoko-chan, please, just call me Hinata. You are my husband's student, not mine, and I know he prefers a more relaxed approach as well."

Inoko beamed up at the woman sitting next to her at her mother's kitchen table. Ino was puttering away in the nearby kitchen, listening to every word, Inoko was sure, but not making a peep about it.

"So, since you are the holder of the last Sharingan, it will be difficult for you to learn to use it. There are records, we believe, in the Uchiha family complex, but... they are probably guarded heavily, and well hidden. So... until you achieve some level of proficiency with it," Hinata started at the look of sudden annoyance that flew over the younger girl's face, then said quickly, "No, I'm sorry... I didn't mean it like that. I meant a level of mastery. It will probably take a fair amount of power with it to be able to access the records- I didn't mean to disrespect your skill."

Ino laughed then from across the room, and said quietly, "Hinata, she knows you didn't. Relax, it's all right."

"Sorry," the indigo-haired woman blushed, "I just... I haven't ever taught anyone before, and I'm a little... umm... nervous."  
"It's fine, Hinata-sensei," the younger girl said, still smiling, "you're doing great. I already feel like I understand my eyes a bit better."

* * *

Sakura laughed hard as she watched Tenten pull out a scroll. "You're decorating for a wedding, not throwing kunai everywhere- what do you need that for?"

The tall woman, her hair in her traditional buns even after all these years, smiled wickedly at the other, and replied, "Watch and learn, Sakura. They don't call me Konoha's Deadly Blossom for nothing- I can pull more than weapons out of these!"

Tenten whirled around once, twice, five times, gaining speed with each rotation. _It almost looks like she's performing Kaiten... but she can't use Juken. Can she?_

But no- after she'd reached a high speed, the scroll was flung out, and in a great billow of smoke, the objects sealed within it were loosed to fly about the room.

When the room cleared enough for Sakura to see again, she looked around in amazement. On every wall, there were decorative fans, dried flowers, a few traditional paintings, and even a large banner reading "Congratulations, Neji and Tenten!", all hung up high on the walls- with a mixture of kunai, shuriken, and siangham.

"W... wow, Tenten," Sakura gasped, her mouth gaping.

The taller woman smirked as she sauntered away to help unload a table into the Hyuga compound's meeting hall.

"Wait... how did you learn that spin? It's so much different than what I saw during the Chunin exams... and I haven't seen you fight since then."

Tenten paused and turned, a finger on her lips as the thought back. "That's weird... but no, I guess you're right. Eight years or more, and we've never had a combat mission together. But oh well... can you keep a secret?"

When Sakura nodded, the other woman walked back toward her and whispered in her ear, "I learned it from watching Neji. It took me a long time to get it right, and without the Byakugan there's no way I could duplicate the technique, but... it's very relaxing just to practice. Even more so than Tai Chi."

* * *

"Never thought I'd see you so nervous, Temari."

"Shut up, Kankuro," the blond woman growled, shooting her brother a death glare through the full-length mirror, "This is a big deal for our village. Can't you just be serious for once?"

His unpainted face grinned evilly, and he muttered, "Not a big day for you personally, too? You must get married every few weeks then, right?"

Temari suddenly flung out an arm, and her younger brother was thrown across the room into the now-closed door he'd just entered from. He shook his head to clear it, then grumbled, "Figures you'd stash an fan _somewhere_ on you- even at your own wedding. Is that in case Shika misbehaves?"

"You really don't know when to shut up, do you?"

He was still grinning, but said nothing, so Temari resumed the final touches of putting on her wedding dress.

The puppet master watched in glee as her frustration mounted with the zipper on the back of her dress until she cried, "To hell with it! Hair's long enough to cover it anyway."

She watched without a word, her eyes narrowed in distrust, as the man stood up straight from his position against the wall and walked toward her. Once he reached her, Kankuro lifted up the back of her now-long hair, "Your hair's stuck, no wonder you couldn't get it. One second..."

She was about to jerk away from him, but the sudden shift in her brother's tone kept her from doing so as he gently pulled the lock of sandy blond hair from the zipper and pulled it up for her. "You look beautiful, Temari," he said quietly.

Her eyes searched his through the mirror for any signs of humor or deceit, and she was actually surprised- and a little disappointed- to not find any. Now, knowing he was sincere, she blushed a little and muttered a very soft 'thanks'.

"Don't mention it- that's what family's for," he said quietly, and bowed himself out of her changing room.

* * *

Much to the lazy ambassador's relief, the wedding itself was short, sweet, and most importantly, short. He only had to stand in front of the crowd, who was watching his (and his new wife's) every move for a few minutes before the priest announced them as married, and he was told to kiss his bride.

Temari looked worried for a second when he opened his mouth without leaning in, but much to her relief, Shikamaru only said said, "Now _that's_ not too troublesome."

When the happy new couple broke apart, the silent crowd gave a collective _aww_, and stood almost as one to queue up to greet the pair.

Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura was among the first in line, only Tsunade, Kurenai, Kankuro, and Gaara had beaten them- the three were even ahead of Shikamaru's mother.

"It's about time," Naruto said, giving his dark-haired friend a punch on the shoulder, "haven't you been talking about your 'average wife' for fifteen years now?"

The fiery blond shot her new husband a glare and growled, "Average? You think _I_, Temari no Subaku, am _average_?!"  
It was Kankuro's laughter that cut his sister's rage short, "Temari, you know you aren't average, and you know nobody thinks you are, so shut up already. Be happy!"

The situation had mostly defused a minute later, when the trio, still congratulating the two on their marriage, cleared the way for Nara Yoshino.

"Shika-kun... I'm so happy for you. I'm so very, very proud! And your father, he... he would have been..."

The genius had just started to raise his arms to embrace his still mourning mother when the explosion rocked the Tower.

From most of the wedding's guests, there wasn't a hint of panic, only surprise. But from the few civilians, and the general populace of the city outside, there was a great deal more turmoil. Screaming began after a few seconds, as the enormity of the situation seemed to begin sinking in.

But for the shinobi, the catastrophic event was already clear- the mountain bearing the faces of the five Hokage was tumbling down onto the city, accompanied by a roar of sound so loud it was deafening, lending a surreal quality to the sight, even from miles away at Shikamaru and Temari's chosen wedding sight- like Sakura's had been, Team Asuma's favorite training ground.

"Shika! You take charge of the civilian evacuation! Ibiki, Genma, Kotetsu, Sarenji- you four, gather your investigative teams, quickly!"

The Hokage had no hesitation in her voice, for which Uzumaki Naruto was incredibly grateful. Seeing the sight of his heroes- five of them, at least- tumbling down from where their effigies had been carved for eternity had shaken him in a way he never thought would be possible. But the reassuring strength behind those orders returned his own to him, almost as much as did the two hands, one soft and one hard, but both firm, sliding into his own.

"Naruto, Sakura, Hinata- Kiba, Shino, you too. Get up there and find out who the hell _did_ this to Konoha!"

Tsunade continued to give orders as the friends and their teams began to rush as only a ninja could out from the training ground and across the city toward the remains of the monument, which still had massive piles of rock tumbling down upon the hospital and Hokage Tower.

* * *

The horrible, grinding sound of stone on stone was now gone, replaced by the whistling of the wind through new, sharp crevices, and the distant screaming in the city far below them. Sakura could barely hear the breathing of her two spouses over the din, which was quiet, but pervasive. But there was something... familiar lurking nearby, and it was bothering her that she couldn't remember what it was. Bothering her more than the lives that had been snuffed out in an instant, and almost as much as those that would die slowly under the weight of stone that had fallen upon them, trapping them alive, but hurt and unable to escape underneath what seemed to be half of a mountain.

Beside her, she could also sense Naruto's tension, and understood that he had sensed... whatever it was, as well. Hinata, for her part, seemed a little more relaxed, but still on edge about something, her eyes wide open and Byakugan activated, though her eyes didn't twitch at all as she scanned around them, up, down, and to every side almost all at once.  
"N... Naruto. Is it...?"

In response, he closed his eyes and turned away from the new end of the trail leading to the monument's top and closed his eyes. She could see grief in their startling blue before the lids closed, but most of what she saw was rage. He sniffed a few times, then growled out with his eyes still tightly closed, "I smell a snake. It almost smells like Manda, but it's different. It's gotta be..."

One of his teammate's eyes widened, but no one aside from Hinata and Sakura reacted to that at all.

Kamisori asked, firmly but quietly, "You don't think it's me, or my mom, do you, Naruto-sensei?"

The blue eyes opened into a glare as he looked at the young man, but it was obvious he wasn't glaring _at_ the teen. "No. But aside from Anko and maybe you, no one else I know of could summon a snake that strong except Orochimaru... or Uchiha Sasuke."

Everyone's eyes widened at that, because his name was now synonymous with the the definition for 'Konoha's greatest traitor' among both the civilian and shinobi populace of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. All except one girl, the youngest present.

Sakura's eyes turned to look at her black ones for a moment, and was reminded vividly of how her old crush's used to look before he changed. They were hard, full of resolve, but unlike his, there was no hate, no burning desire for revenge.

"I have to stop him," Inoko said, but Naruto interrupted before she could say anything else.

"No, you don't. You can't- you aren't strong enough, yet. I'm sorry Inoko, I know you want to put this behind you... but if he's still alive, I'm probably the only one in the village that stands a chance against him right now. And he's still beaten me almost every time we ever fought."

She looked like she was about to argue, but the chilling voice from behind her sensei put a stop to it at once. "Almost, dobe, almost. You did beat me once, and I'll give you credit for that. The Rasengan is much more powerful than the Chidori at it's base level. But that doesn't matter, any more, does it? We've both moved beyond such weak techniques- Rokudaime."

Hinata and Sakura both whirled as soon as he'd begun speaking, entering their respective stances, while the others in the group looked on, stunned that he could still be alive, still standing there, after so many of them had seen him _dead_, had watched his body burn in a traitor's death.

Only Naruto didn't move. His eyes were closed when Tenchi yelled out, "I won't let you! You can't take Inoko-chan away!"

The laughter in the shadow's voice was obvious and sincere, but it wasn't because of mirth- it was callous amusement. "You really think you can stop me, creepy little girl? I bet your _boyfriend_ wouldn't even care if you got taken out- your probably _bug_ him every time you touch him."

Naruto let out a vicious, barking laugh and opened his eyes, but still didn't turn around. "Is that the best you've got, Sasuke? You have to try and pick on a little girl, now?"  
"Shows what you know, doesn't it, baka? I don't 'have' to. I _enjoy_ seeing others being crushed. You've always thought I would come back some day, that you'd be able to 'reach me deep down', like you seem to do with everyone else you meet. That's bullshit- and I'm not telling you again. Today, you're going to die."

The orange-clad ninja still didn't turn, but the shinobi in front of him- of all ages- were more than a little surprised to see his eyes undergo a startling change. Kiba, in fact, even blurted out in a whisper, "Naruto has an eye-based kekkei genkai?"

Kamisori relaxed then, the Inuzuka's words reminding him of a mostly-embarrassing conversation he'd had with his sensei what seemed like years ago, where the blond man had imparted more information than either had been willing to- but that both had needed to. _Sage... Naruto-sensei's activating his Sage Chakra. This Uchiha bastard doesn't stand a chance!_

"Sakura, Hinata- does he still expect you to fight his battles?"

Naruto was about to laugh again, when Sakura did it for him. "Expect? No, he expects us to stand back while he fights _ours_. But neither of us is going to let that happen- you make one move, Sasuke, your damned eyes even so much as _blink_, and both of us are gonna tear you to shreds!"

Before the last echo of the final word faded from the watching crowd's ears, the shadow before them blinked out, and Sakura collapsed without a sound onto the ground.

Now, finally, Naruto spun around, only to see that Sasuke wasn't there any longer. His roar of anger and frustration shook the gates- closed because of the emergency- on the other side of the village.


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 36**

Hinata could only look on, stunned. _As skilled as Sakura is... she was taken down in just one hit. And all I saw him do was _touch_ her! I can't- I'm not strong- we have to get out of here!_

Those panicked thoughts rushed through the Hyuga's brain before their pink-haired bride had even hit the ground, and she began to move as well. "Run!" she screamed, one hand flying down to wrap around Sakura's shoulders, the other flung out to defend herself- though she knew she hadn't a chance if he was serious.

Beside her, though, Naruto was still roaring. In fact, he was getting _louder_.

Tenchi, Shino, and Kiba were all clutching their ears, the younger Aburame already on her knees, and Hinata could see a trickle of blood running out of one ear due to the sheer volume of the sound. The canine, Akamaru, looked completely unconscious already. The others, not as sensitive to sound, were still wincing, Many were covering their ears, but it didn't seem to do any good.

And then the sound stopped suddenly, and Hinata's eyes moved up at once to her blond husband's face. His pupils had changed shape to a horizontal slit with bulbs on either end, and the color was, instead of his normal sapphire blue, a dark golden color, several shades darker than his hair. His whiskers had all-but disappeared, and she could see him trembling slightly as he stared at the ground.

"Sorry," he said after inhaling just once, "had to draw the snake out. Hinata, Kiba, Shino, get them out of here. Hinata... I'm trusting you with Sakura. Kamisori, Tenchi- you take care of Inoko. He won't come after her until I'm dead, but keep her safe from any other threats."

There were collective nods, but Hinata protested weakly, "No, Naruto-kun, I can help-"

His eyes, when they turned to look at her, stopped her words in her throat. "I'm sorry, Hinata-chan. But Sakura needs to be taken to Tsunade-hime. Please."

Her hands trembling even as they supported their wife, Hinata nodded, her eyes threatening to fill with tears. She stood smoothly, bringing Sakura with her, then whispered, "Be safe, Naruto."

* * *

It didn't take the group long to clear the area, but the snake didn't surface to the mountaintop until they had almost reached the bottom, and truth be told, Naruto had already been in Sage mode longer than he'd ever done before. It was starting to wear on him.

But fortunately, he had a few tricks of his own- and Sasuke hadn't seen him fight at full strength in a _long_ time. The snake's head- a gigantic, red one almost as large as Manda's had been, burst from the ground twenty yards ahead of him. Unlike Orochimaru's long-dead 'ally', this snake was unadorned with anything, and had only his large red scales to protect him from the meat cleaver- longer than Naruto was tall- that sliced across the hole just after it's head cleared it.

While the snake was much thicker than that, the blade, wielded by a yellow-skinned toad many times Naruto's size with protuberant eyes, was much too small to actually sever the creature's head, the blow had been mortal still- and it's rider knew it.

"Good job, Gamatatsu," the Toad Sage said softly, then spared a rapid glance to the other toads- more brothers of the one who'd hit the snake- and continued, "Don't head off yet. I'm going to need your help. Kichi, Tatsu, you guys stay on my flanks- watch each other's backs, okay? If you get injured, take off- but send your dad our way."

There was a mix of amphibian battle cries and agreements, and the two largest toads- the same yellow one and his red-skinned older brother, Gamakichi, landed to each side and back of Naruto, facing away from each other.  
When the black-haired ninja finally landed from the leap he'd taken from the snake's head, he was standing just feet in front of the Konoha ninja, his long katana in his hand, and habitual smirk on his face. "You have the Toad's contract? What a waste- with your talent, you could have mastered any summoning jutsu, and you went with that pervert's? Psh."

None of the toads nearby rose to the bait, but Gamakichi snarled until Naruto's calm hand made a tiny gesture. He saw Sasuke's body tense, thinking he was preparing to attack, but the blond had only been warning his friend to remain silent for now. "You haven't got any idea how strong the Toads are, Sasuke. Besides- you aren't even carrying the Snake Contract, so you don't know what you're talking about, anyway."

The other ninja nodded once, "True. But I can get it at any time. Mitarashi Anko's not that strong, according to Orochimaru's memories."

It was Naruto's turn to agree, "I guess. But she doesn't carry the contract anymore, either. It's found a new bearer, and he shows more promise than she ever did."

Sasuke snorted, so Naruto continued, "You didn't know that she and Kakashi-sensei had a son, did you? He's one of my students."

The Uchiha's eyes widened the tiniest fraction, but he was too good a ninja to let his real surprise show more than that- but Naruto was good enough a ninja to see it. "Doesn't matter, dobe. He's still just a kid- and you know I won't have any problems getting it after I take you out."

Naruto shrugged, "Maybe. But Konoha's pretty strong, and we stick together- most of us, anyway. But what makes you think you can take me out?"

For the first time in recent memory, Uchiha Sasuke smiled, a real, genuine smile.

"Because you just aren't as strong as me. You _are_ strong, strong enough to be Hokage, or I'd never have said you were the Sixth. But I'm beyond that, by a noticeable margin. Think... about the the difference during the final Chunin exam. Everyone- even I- was surprised at how strong you were, but I was most definitely stronger. Right?"

Now Naruto grinned as well, but his smile was more feral, "I guess. But you've always had one flaw, Sasuke, and that flaw's been getting bigger and bigger- you still underestimate everyone, and overestimate yourself."

"Show me."

And so he did. Without handsigns, without a word, and without Sasuke even noticing, five clones of Naruto appeared, and within moments, the six of them were holding fully-active Rasenshuriken. As the six orbs of wind and chakra flew toward him as one, Naruto could see his opponent's hands blur into nothing as they performed a jutsu that practically every ninja mastered in the Academy- but every one of them used often if they could.

What the six jutsu struck was nothing more than a stone summoned from the wreckage of the mountain below. But the Rasengan in it's base form would have punched clear through the granite, and six of them infused with Naruto's powerful wind chakra didn't just obliterate it- it disintegrated the stone in a mighty blast of air that threw the toads in the area back more than ten feet, though each had been ready for it.

When the dust cleared, Naruto was still standing there, unfazed, and looking at each of his clones as they vanished, one by one.

When Sasuke reappeared, Naruto simply said, "Found a weakness in your Taijutsu."

His enemy looked blankly at him for a moment, then asked calmly, "Excuse me?"

Naruto grinned, though not maliciously, "A weakness. In your stance, actually. Your whole fighting style... well, it's good, don't get me wrong, but in the last few years I've learned a style that trumps yours hands down."

"Hmh, right... sure you did, dobe. You were always plenty strong, but your Taijutsu is just brute strength, not skill and technique. Effective, but inferior compared to training." The Uchiha's voice was still calm, but the sage detected just the tiniest bit of worry.

_Ever since he actually started acknowledging my strength, I've been getting stronger and stronger- and __most of it, I've never even shown him. The last time I truly fought at full strength, yeah, he won- but that was only because I lost control of the Kyuubi. Not this time._ "Fine, Sasuke. Since you don't believe me, let's just end it. No more words."

"Heh. And yet, last time we talked, you were the one who wouldn't shut up. Fine."

Then Sasuke's hands were blurring through hand signs at such a rapid pace, and in such an unusual order, that Naruto couldn't figure out what jutsu he was using until it was too late. At the same moment, fire erupted from the grass below his feet, from Sasuke's wide-open mouth, and lightning lanced down from the clear sky to strike him.

When the flames had cleared, Naruto was on his knees- but almost unscathed. Only his cloak, his father's cloak, showed the slightest singe. "Heh, didn't know dad's cloak was heat-resistant. Cool!"

Before the last sound of 'ool' had echoed to silence, he was gone, and Sasuke was flying backward. He struck a tree, shook his head, and growled, "Sneaky, Naruto. Didn't think you had it in you."

An onlooker wouldn't have seen much, if any, of the fight. The pair were simply moving too fast for normal eyes to track. But with Sasuke's powerful and fully-activated Sharingan competing against a Sage-active Naruto, it seemed the two were yet again evenly matched. While the dark-haired ninja could still predict his opponent's moves, he couldn't actually move fast enough to prevent most of them from landing. And while Naruto was exceptionally fast with his Sage mode active, his eternal rival's skill and speed were just too much for him to match most times. So, in effect, despite the dazzling level of speed and puissance both demonstrated, the fight was quickly turning into a battle of stamina- who could take more hits.

Unfortunately for Naruto, Sasuke had long since learned that he had near-unlimited stamina, something the Uchiha couldn't match. So the sharingan-user decided to try something a little desperate.

Without signs, in the heat of battle, Naruto had no way to predict the sudden unleashing of the Chidori from point-blank range, nor any way to prevent the bolt of electricity- laced with fire- from piercing his chest just below the ribs.

The toads began to clamor and yell, rushing to his aid, before he had hit the ground. Before they reached him, though, the Uchiha said, "Foolish, Naruto. Let your guard down... but I can't complain. Now I can go claim my daughter."

* * *

When Naruto opened his eyes, his enemy was gone, and only Gamatatsu and Gamakichi- capable of staying under their own power- had remained. "Boss, yer friend's headed off to get Inoko. You haven't been out long, but we healed you up as best we could. You gotta go after him!"

Naruto sprang upright, clutching the still-bleeding hole in his stomach, and looked down the cliff to the village. "Did you see where he went?"

The yellow-skinned toad was the one that replied, "He went to the food-place. That's where the lazy one is, he's telling everyone what to do."

"Stupid 'tatsu," his older brother said, "There's a million food places in Konoha! Naruto- Ichiraku's. That Shikamaru is there, and we think Hinata would have taken Sakura to Tsunade, so that's the best place to look."

The blond nodded thanks to his friends, and muttered, "You guys better get out of here. If you can, bring me your dad and Pa. Maybe Ma. Might need to do some more sage training after this- I'm about tapped out."

Then without another word, he flung himself off the cliff and hurtled downward.

* * *

Ino had never been more scared. She was the first shinobi the fleeing group had run into on the way down the mountain- having been sent to reinforce them- but after hearing that Inoko was being targeted by Sasuke, didn't hesitate to join them and stay by her daughter's side. "Inoko, if anything happens to me, you have to promise me you-"

"Nothing's going to happen, mom!" the girl yelled without glancing sideways at her mother, "I won't let anything happen to you! And I'm not going with him, either! I'd rather die!"

"Baby, don't say-"  
Hinata interrupted the mother's words with her calm, reassuring voice, "Nothing is going to happen to either of you. Naruto will not lose- not this time. He will never give up until Inoko is safe."

The mother and daughter both looked ahead to where Hinata was running at the head of the group, despite carrying Sakura's form on her back. She hardly looked like it was affecting her at all. _Hinata... she's strong._

"Hinata-sama!"

There was another voice Ino was thankful to hear.  
"Neji-kun!"

The two cousins were now running side by side, the younger quickly briefing the older on the situation. When she'd finished, Neji fell back to Inoko's other side and gave them both a firm look, "I'll be your bodyguard for now, Inoko-san. Hinata-sama would not forgive me if something happened to you."

Just as the group turned the last corner and the over-crowded ramen stand came into sight, a voice from above them brought them to a jumbled, crashing halt.  
"Two Byakugan users... might almost slow me down. But not enough!"

Burdened by Sakura's unconscious form, Hinata wasn't able to fully dodge the kick. It crashed into her temple, sending her flying to the far side of the street, where she and Sakura landed in a heap. In a flash, the young teen was pulled back by Shino and Kiba to the middle of the group, each of them standing protectively around her. Ino and Neji stood against him as soon as his presence was revealed.

"_Sasuke_!"

"Ah, Ino. So nice to see you after all these years. Thank you for raising my daughter so well, but that burden's being taken off your hands, now."

"... don't you ever think you're taking my girl from me!"

The tension in the street was palpable. Everyone present knew that even though Ino had grown orders of magnitude beyond her strength as a Genin, or even a Chunin, there was no way she could beat Sasuke. But she was far from alone, as well.

"Where is Naruto?"

It was Neji who spoke, and the concern in his normally-placid voice was what spurred the others to begin worrying.

"Oh, he'll live, I'm sure. The Kyuubi won't let him die from a bleeding hole in his stomach. I must say, one day I'm really going to have to get around to finishing that bastard off. I just have... more important things to do, at the moment."

Neji's stance didn't falter when the Uchiha began to move toward him, but he was too slow entering Kaiten. He had only made one full revolution, not nearly enough to build the necessary speed, before the Uchiha's sword slashed across both calves, severing the tendons in each leg. He fell to the ground without uttering a sound, but continued to glare upwards at Sasuke.

Ino stepped forward next, and Sasuke actually started to laugh at seeing her, until a much shorter girl pushed her way out of the crowd, and he saw his own eyes staring back at him.

"So... little one. You have already activated your eyes? And two tomoe each, hmm? Well, well. It seems Naruto's been training you already. Good- I can trust him not to screw you up too badly. Come, child, let's get out of here. I'd hate to have to kill anyone else just to retrieve you."

Her glare could have killed a lesser man, but Sasuke only smirked.  
"Don't want too? How about I... kill your mother, then? Who else will you turn to?"

Once again, no one else could move fast enough to stop him- except his daughter. His Katana had been blocked by his own little girl's kunai, inches from her mother's throat. She was straining with all she had to hold him back, but that little defiance only made him laugh- and take another look. "You've... already become a killer, haven't you, child? Wonderful. A step in the right direction, at least. But don't you think it's a bit early for you to be challenging me?"

He raised a fist to strike her away and allow his sword to continue, but it hadn't yet started moving forward when a hand- larger than his own- wrapped around it.

"Don't hurt my students, Sasuke."

The Uchiha's eyes narrowed, the tomoe switching almost at once to the swirl of the Mangekyo Sharingan. "Quick recovery, Naruto. I'll aim a little higher, this time."

He reversed the direction of his blade's edge and spun backwards in a smooth motion, but Naruto had already leapt backward. Sasuke's blade continued it's sweep, but both Inoko and Ino had the speed- and strength- to stop the blade before it cut into the blond woman's neck.

Sasuke grinned malevolently, and said, "Good job, daughter," before throwing himself forward at Naruto.

He paused suddenly, four feet from his rival, and spent a few seconds looking at his stance. "I've never seen that before. You _have_ been training! Tell me, Naruto- what does this stance do?"

_Looks almost animalistic- like Kiba's, _Ino thought, _but for a totally different creature. Is it...?_

She didn't have long to wonder, though, because Sasuke had charged forward again.

His Katana was already outstretched, and she could hear it humming with the electricity running up and down the blade, but it never connected.

Naruto's leg whipped upwards just as the point came close to his neck, and he dropped backwards, the balls of his feet catching the Uchiha's wrist and throwing it upwards, shattering bone.

The Kusanagi, no longer flowing with live current, stuck blade-first into the ground twenty meters away, drawing even more attention from the ninja surrounding Ichiraku's.

Sasuke, holding his arm close to his body, snarled at Naruto, and leapt in again, this time with a kunai in his other hand.

Again, one of Naruto's legs lashed out as soon as he was in range, this time his left, catching the elbow of the other man and snapping his arm in two. The momentum continued, and the blond ninja used it to back-flip onto his feet again, landing in the same hunched-over, wide-legged stance. Sasuke landed on his back on the curb, and through the sudden silence, everyone could hear a sickening crunch.  
While the Uchiha continued to rant, he did not move.

After a little while, Naruto stood straight up again and walked over to his former teammate, calling for his youngest current teammate, "Inoko, come here. Neji, you too. I need you guys to verify that he's not using chakra for anything- no more getting away, this time."

Ino tried to hold her daughter back, unwilling to let the girl out of her arm's reach with an implacable foe- who wanted nothing more than to take that daughter away from her- so close, and getting closer. But the younger Yamanaka shrugged the hands off and pulled away, saying softly, "Sorry, mom. We have to do this."

The blond woman watched her daughter- barely more than a child, hardly a teenager, and yet a full-grown woman in her own right in many ways- walk almost-calmly toward her father and her enemy, to stand with her sensei and look down at him coldly.

"Damn you, Uzumaki! How dare you do this to me!_ End it now!_"

Naruto simply watched for what seemed like hours, though Ino could tell only a few more words were said before her first love screamed out, in a piteous voice, "I hate you! Konoha will _fall_, and I'm doing it just to _kill you_!"

And that was enough. As Naruto's clenched right hand opened and he chambered it on his hip, the first stirrings of chakra could be seen. As his knees bent and he leaned forward, the hand sped downward, racing at a snail's pace to the paralyzed Uchiha's throat.

The kekkei genkai of the Hyuga and Uchiha clans both watched for any signs of chakra use, deception, or trickery from the half-way point of the movement on.

Naruto's knee struck the cobbled road at the same instant the leading edge of the Rasengan touched Uchiha Sasuke's throat.

Her sense of time now completely out of whack, Ino watched on in silence as the lines of blood spiraled out, forming a red galaxy-like shape on the pavement._ It's beautiful!_

After an eternity, Naruto stood up and looked to Neji first. The brown-haired Hyuga's head twitched from side to side, and the blues eyes found his teammate next.

"No, I didn't see him do anything," Inoko said, her voice sad but full of resolve, "He's really dead- and I'm sure it was him. His chakra network looked just like mine."

Again, Naruto looked over at Neji, who nodded, "It was him, not a clone and not a body double."

The sage nodded, finally allowing his chakra to return to normal. "Let's get Sakura and Hinata to Obaa-chan. That last thing he said worries me- he might have been behind Iwa's aggression."


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 37**

The attack had been devastating in every way. One powerful shinobi had killed seven thousand people, including one hundred and seventy-six of Konoha's ninja. The Hokage Tower- and all the secrets within it- was buried under tons upon tons of stone and rock. The nearby hospital- the main hospital for the village, especially the ninja, was gone without a trace, smashed into pieces along with everyone inside it. Some of the boulders had rolled as much as a mile from the edge of the rock slide into the village, striking animal, human, home, and business.

But through all of that, all the horror and pain, the general mood of the city was upbeat.

Their allies, Sunagakure, and their very powerful leader as well as his two strong siblings and all of their teams, had immediately pledged their support and aid

Kankuro's puppets were put to work lifting and moving the mid-sized rocks, Temari to clearing the dust and smaller rubble from everywhere her winds could reach, and their youngest brother the Kazekage set himself to grinding the larger stones to dust and carrying the mid- to small-sized ones away on his sand currents at the same time.

Most of the other ninja in the village were dedicated to the construction or location of temporary shelter, for the injured and homeless, for the children whose parents had been lost. Others were dedicated to clearing the rubble and rebuilding damaged but salvageable buildings. A few, though, had been prevented from helping out in those capacities, despite their burning desire to do so.

"Naruto... please, just listen to me for a second!"

"But Obaa-chan-"

It was the sudden welling of tears in the old woman's eyes that actually shut him up. _Naruto... I've never seen him so upset._ When he actually did fall silent, it took her a second to control her voice enough to choke out, "I understand, Naruto. I really do. Konoha is just as much my home as yours. But we have other priorities. There are a lot of ninja and civilians that can help rebuild, not so many that can do what I need you to do."

Through his anger and rage, he glared directly at her for a time, ignoring the stunned silence of the shinobi gathered around them before growling, "And what's that?"

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and opened them again slowly. "I need you to stick with our schedule. In four days, you are going to become Hokage. A week after that is Neji and Tenten's wedding- and then we have another battle to prepare for."

He shook his head slowly, and most of his friends saw, for the first time, a Naruto afraid. "I'm not... I'm not ready, Granny Tsunade. I lost my cool, I can't handle the pressure, yet. I'm sorry."

Two hands, both warm, but one soft and one hard, found his own gently. His eyes flicked to meet the orbs of the two women who flanked him, and Tsunade said quietly, "Maybe you aren't, but you aren't alone, either. I think you're ready, and I'm still Hokage, so that's the way it's going to be."

"But... I can't organize stuff like you, I can't stay calm and get everyone where they need to be in an emergency- I can only fight."

She nodded slowly, and his face fell further before the Hokage answered, "True, mostly. I think you're better at it than you realize. Tell me, oh... Aburame Tenchi, what is your sensei's first priority at all times?"

The young girl seemed surprised to have been picked out of the mass of Jonin and Chunin in the back yard of Naruto's home, but didn't take too long to stammer out, "He- it's- um- it's to protect people, especially people he cares about."

Beside him, the blond could hear both of his wives murmur a quiet agreement.

"Exactly. So if you're in charge of a situation like that, you will force down your panic and fear because it's _necessary_ to save lives. Do you really think I wasn't scared? I was _terrified_, Naruto. Everything I, my grandfather, your father, the Second, the the Third worked for their entire lives was being erased- but there were people to save, and I didn't have time for fear. That's how a leader works, and that's how you work. I've seen it over and over."

"But I'm just an idiot, I can't think and plan like-"

"Kamisori, your parents were two of the finest ninja Konoha has ever produced. Do you think your sensei is an idiot?"

Like his girlfriend, the boy was a little surprised to be asked anything, but he recovered quickly, "No, Hokage-sama. He acts like a fool a lot, but he knows what he's doing. Our team has grown much stronger because of him. And he plans very well when he wants to. He showed that when he tested us."

Tenchi and Naruto's faces both paled a shade, but Tsunade smiled. "True- Naruto, do you think the Hokage is the only one who plans for the safety of the village? We've always had advisors and friends to help us. Where would I be without Shizune? Drunk and asleep instead of working."

Beside the old woman, her constant companion blushed at the indirect praise.

"The third was a lecherous old man- without the village elders, he'd have spent more time acting like Jiraiya. I didn't know your father or my grandfather and the Second as well, but I know all of them had friends- and so do you.

"Shikamaru is a fine strategist, Sakura your link to the medics and support ninja. Hinata will be there to watch your home when you are out on business, and her cousin will be an excellent link to the noble families- of the Fire country and beyond. And it's not like they're your only friends, either. If you have questions, no one will refuse you. Use their knowledge and wisdom, and you will be considered in short order an even greater Hokage than your father."

"But... what about my team, my family?"

This one, Tsunade let hang in the air for a little while. "I think your team is ready to be made Chunin, even as young as they are. And Chunin or not, it needs to change- Kamisori needs to be taught things that only I can teach, not even Sakura or Shizune can do that. Inoko needs more hands-on training with you, and Tenchi needs more training with her destruction beetles. So..."

The eyes of all four widened, but Inoko was the first to blurt out, "Hokage-sama, you can't!"

The blond woman's raised hand forestalled any other objections, "I'm not disbanding your team, I'm just putting you on a long-term training mission. I put you three in his team for a reason, and I'm not changing it without a reason. You three have to be the next Sannin, right?"

It was slow, but the smiles spread from Naruto, for once the first to get it, through the whole gathering until everyone was laughing out loud, finally able to release some of the anger, stress, and worry from earlier that day.

* * *

It was almost nightfall when he found her. "Temari."

The blond cocked her head over her shoulder as she sent another blast of wind down the street to clear it further, "Hey, lazy." _I've never seen him so tired. Even when he was on the verge of death against that Tayuya bitch._ "Hey, Shika... you okay?"

His slouched position didn't change, his hands in his pockets. Only his shadowed eyes lifted to meet hers, "Yeah. We'll get through it. Sorry... about the wedding."

She shrugged, "Got finished with it, didn't we? We're married."

The corner of one eye twitched, "I guess."

She finally closed her fan and took a deep breath, letting out as much of the tension in her overworked shoulders as she could with it. "Sorry about the dress. Didn't expect an attack on our wedding day, and I didn't have time to change."

His eyes moved down, up, and then down again, roving to each side, the corners of his lips pulling a little further upward with each pass. "Trouble, so much trouble. A pretty dress like that, and it's in tatters. What am I going to do with you?"

She stepped forward, glaring, and put a first in his face, "If it's that big a deal, you can-"

His arms wrapped around her slender waist and pulled her into him, and he whispered through her hair, "I guess we'll have to get you more pretty things to wear. And get you right out of that one."

"Shika-"

"Ssh. We have a honeymoon to take."

Her worry and caution vanished in an instant, replaced by the giggles of a girl half of her age. As he carried her off through the village, he laughed over and over to see his new wife's anxious blush.

* * *

"Neji, you know I love you, but I just don't know if we should. It's too soon."

The silver eyes she'd loved looking at since she was a little girl were still fixed on hers, and for the first time since they'd been made teammates, she found his will not bowing to her own. "Tenten, we _have_ to. The village needs hope, and we can help provide it. Life has to go on."

It seemed to take eternity before her own resolve crumbled, and she ran toward him as fast as she could, where he folded her in his arms as well as he could despite the growing bulge between them. "Besides," he said softly, "you're due in a month or so. I don't want our baby to not have a proper father from the start. Just like I've never wanted my children to have any mother but you."

* * *

She watched him work, tirelessly, as he always seemed to do. Underneath his tight clothing, she could see his muscles bend, flex, and move. Here, a deltoid, there a lat, and the boulder was pulverized. The next wasn't worth breaking, it was small enough for him to hurl it into the wagon with a single throw. The wagon shook, but didn't break. The blond woman watched him for a while longer, his short hair blowing in the breeze coming off the mountain, and shaking with the force of his actions. The sun was near setting, and he'd been working endlessly all day. Even his sensei had taken a break.  
"Lee. It's time to rest."

He didn't seem to respond.

"Come on, Lee, it's time to go home."

Again, he didn't stop, didn't even slow down, so Ino began to walk towards him. She'd stopped when she'd first caught sight of him, entranced once again by the way he moved. Step by step, the gap closed until she was right behind him, so close that if he didn't notice her presence, she could be struck by accident. "Lee."

This time, he paused, but didn't stop for long. "Good evening, Ino-san."

"It's time to rest."

There was no slowdown again. "I'm sorry, Ino-san, I can't stop, I can't rest. I have to keep going until I collapse."

Tears welled in her blue eyes at once, "Lee, you _have_ to stop. You're going to hurt yourself if you keep going without a break. Even Gai-sensei has taken a couple of breaks to eat something or drink. It's not healthy to work like this."

It was hard to hear herself over the rhythmic pounding of his chakra-fueled fists smashing into the rocks, so she was almost certain he hadn't heard her. Then his hands fell to his sides in fists. "Ino... my family's home is under there."

_How can he say that without... without choking on the words? If it was me..._

Her arms went around him at once, and she wept that even a kunoichi couldn't do more, "I'm sorry, Lee. But you have to rest. They wouldn't want you to kill yourself to dig them out."

He didn't respond for a long time, even his arms didn't wrap themselves around her waist until the sun had gone down completely.

Their moment of rest was interrupted by a gentle voice, one familiar to them both, saying, "Get a room, you two."

"I... Inoko?"

"Hi, mom. You don't sound too good- is Lee all right?"

Ino could see her daughter's face shining in the light of the half-moon overhead, and was surprised to see her smiling, but worried. "I... I think he just fell asleep standing up."

The girl nodded, "I'll go find a stretcher or something. Let's take him home."

Ino, long-since trained to be able to hold others upright and stand for herself for long periods, hadn't yet begun to even notice the strain when her daughter and her two younger teammates returned.

"Kamisori, can you take one corner with Tenchi, and me and my mom will take the heavy end?"

The silver-haired boy nodded and moved to help slide the man's still-vertical form onto the stretcher.

The walk to the Yamanaka's home was slow and quiet, only broken once or twice by Kamisori saying things along the lines of, "They tell me I'm going to become a medic, that I'm going to use the Serpent Path to heal people. I wish I could do it now."

Tenchi replied at once to that, her voice just as subdued, "He's not hurt, just exhausted. But I wish I had a talent for that... I'd love to be a healer."

Other than that, there was mostly silence until they got inside.

Ino offered the teens tea, but the couple refused politely and left holding hands.

"Mom," Inoko said quietly, "are we going to put him in your room?"

The blond hesitated a moment, _he's never spent the night in my bed. That's how I know he's a gentleman._ "Yes- Just lay him on the bed, I'll change him. Can you run to his house and get a jumpsuit for him? And... lose the weights."

The younger Yamanaka smiled wistfully on her way out the door, "Wish I could drop my weights. Hey... if I find something besides a jumpsuit that's clean, should I bring it?"

She should have expected her mother's reply, "Ohkami_, yes_!"

* * *

Akimichi Choji was many things. Kind, generous (except with food), compassionate, caring, strong, surprisingly energetic; these were just a few of the adjectives that could be used to describe the man. One woman, however, was finding that there was another few that could be used to accurately depict him, as well. Courageous. Unflinching in adversity. Tireless. _Cute_.

_What am I doing? That kid's too young for me, anyway. Besides, I'm from Kumo, there's no way he'd even consider going out with me, even just to get to know each other. So..._

"Hey, I know you're from the Cloud village, but are you just gonna stand there and watch me, or are you gonna help me move this rock? We can't repair the house without it."

The dark-skinned woman jumped, startled, and stammered an apology, "S- sorry, I- I was just thinking. Yeah, I'll help."

She stepped across the trampled lawn and slipped through the wrecked wall of the home to find the opposite side of the boulder and planted her feet. "Ready!"

"'kay, start pushing! Partial expansion!"

Suddenly, there were hands as large as she was on either side of the rock. _He didn't do that before! He could probably move this thing by himself with just a little chakra!_

Even so, straining as hard as she could, it was difficult to pull the stone out, and by the time it had been moved onto the street, she was breathless.

"I'm Akimichi Choji," he said, offering a similarly-sweating hand, "you been in Konoha long?"

She shook her head and wiped a hand across her brow to clear her eyes of sweat, "Nah, just came in yesterday. I was supposed to have a meeting with your Hokage, but... I saw the tower. I've been trying to find someone who'd actually let me help, since I'm not from around here."

The red-head nodded, "Yeah, Konoha's not usually like that, but with the war with Iwa, and this attack... people are pretty nervous."

"But not you?"

She was surprised to hear him laugh, it was a pleasant sound from deep in his gut, but she couldn't see his obvious bulk shaking at all, _he's not fat at all. It's all muscle, isn't it?_

"Not me, no. My best friend would be ashamed of me if I didn't start off trusting people. Stand back a sec, I gotta break this one down."

She took a few steps back and raised one arm to shield her eyes, but he said again, "No, further. Ten paces, at least. Don't wanna step on you."

Her eyebrows raised, she stepped back without taking her eyes off the man.

He blinked once and his face tightened for just a moment before he quadrupled in size to tower over her. He brought one gigantic foot crashing down onto the boulder in an ax kick, and it split in two. The combination continued, the man using his armored parts- mostly- to reduce the boulder to pieces no more than a foot across.

She was speechless when he shrank back to his regular size- about four inches taller than, and three times the width of, herself.

"Heh, sorry about that, didn't mean to startle you," he said, his rosy cheeks deepening slightly, "guess you weren't really prepared for my clan's jutsu, since you aren't from around here."

Her eyes were still wide when she gave a tiny shake of her head.

"Hey, that's about all the chakra I've got, so I need to go get something to eat to recharge. You wanna come with? There's a great barbeque place near here- I'll buy."

_Did he... did he just ask me out? But I'm not... I'm not from here. He doesn't know me at all. What's with this kid?_

"Well?"

His casual, friendly nature won out, until she stammered again, "I- my- I mean, I'm Sento Karui, from the Village Hidden in the Clouds. Yeah, I'll come with you."

She was surprised further still, when for the first time since she'd met her teammates, she had an easy time talking to a male.

For his part, Choji was simply surprised that, after all this time, his mother's words had been proven correct- someone, somewhere out there, wouldn't mind his looks. Maybe._ But from the way she was looking at me before I called her over..._


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 38**

Naruto wasn't surprised that, when the day of his promotion to the rank of Kage finally arrived, the talk wasn't about him, or Tsunade, or even the village's future. In fact, as he walked down the streets with his brides beside him, he was more surprised to hear what the talk was actually about.

There were the typical rumors about the war, discussions and rumors flew about concerning the battle between he and Sasuke, as well. Only the catastrophe of the mountain's ruin seemed to be skirted.

But that talk, cheerful as it was, always seemed to fade in comparison to...

"Did you see? The Akimichi boy. He-"

"-yes, I heard that! My sister's cousin saw him with-"

"-older woman, but he's a sweet boy, so maybe she really sees the real-"

"-happy for him, finally, to get a girl."

"No way! Is it true? He really-"

The blond was happy for his friend, of course, especially if the rumors were true. It's just that, like the villagers in general, he was shocked to hear that of all people, Akimichi Choji had landed a woman that seemed to see him for who he was instead of his 'extra bulk'. Which had faded a lot, over the years, into solid muscle. But since he still wore the loose, even baggy, clothing favored by his family, it was hard to tell.

The fact that the woman was apparently foreign didn't even seem to matter, though of course he'd heard that rumor along with the rest. It was circulated wildly that she was quite attractive, an exotic beauty to rival even the mighty Uzumaki Sakura. Of course, _that_ got people's attention.  
Even his pink-haired wife wanted to go hear more about this woman who'd caught Choji's eye, but thankfully for Naruto, she was distracted by a quick peck on the cheek from Hinata. "Sakura-chan, we're already late- we should hurry to the Academy."

The taller woman blushed, nodding, and picked up her steps to catch up to the other two.

When they reached the temporary head of the village, at least until the tower area could be cleared and rebuilt, they were surprised again at the turnout.

_That's why we didn't see any ninja on the way in..._

The front training yard of the Academy wasn't as full as it had been on the day their teams were assigned, and there weren't as many shinobi present as there had been at Kakashi's funeral, but he understood. They had duties, missions to carry out, whether for the good of the village, or for it's coffers. _A city can't run without income. We don't have to charge taxes because of the missions the ninja do. At least one good thing's coming out of this- since I've actually been running missions recently, I know how tiring it is- maybe I can cut the budget down a little and give the shinobi more downtime than Obaa-chan did._

The crowd fell silent as they approached, and parted without a word or sign to reveal the straight, brick-paved path to the stairs leading to the Academy's door. Standing at their head was Tsunade, dressed in the full Hokage regalia, accompanied on one side by Shiranui Genma on one side and Shizune on the other. The village elders were conspicuously absent.

"Namikaze Naruto, step forward."

For the first time since the attack, he heard Tsunade's voice ring out like it used to, clear and attention-grabbing. He gulped once, whispered half to his wives and half to himself, "This is it. My second-to-last dream coming true. One more, and I can die a happy man."

Those nearest, able to hear his words, gave a soft chuckle while both Sakura and Hinata smiled. The two women shared a look, glad that they alone knew what his final wish was- and praying that he'd get that, as well. As he walked forward, the two kunoichi slowly let him draw ahead, so that when he reached the bottom step, he didn't notice that they'd left his side to stand at the edge of the lined-up shinobi.

"Uzu- I mean, Namikaze Naruto," Tsunade began again, trying hard not to blush at the titters in the crowd at her gaffe, "this village has known what kind of man, what kind of shinobi, you are for a long time. One of my greatest regrets in my old age is that I didn't get the opportunity to learn for myself sooner. You may not be the strongest in the village right now, but I'd be willing to guess that not a single ninja in our history has made the kind of progress you have, and that not a single one would be willing to fight against you unless it was absolutely necessary.  
"Your father would be proud, your mother would be weeping with joy to see the ninja you have become. My own grandfather would probably take a knee before you and offer fealty. Your power is unquestionable, and your will to use it only in the right way is unassailable. Once you were looked down upon as a monster. But your self-restraint and control, learned early and exercised throughout your life, have been proven time and again. The monster you once carried to save us all is gone, defeated by your perseverance and strength.  
"In that, you have done something the Fourth could not do- you have brought about the end of the Nine-Tails, and proven that even immortal enemies can be defeated- proved it again. You do not know every jutsu of this village, like the Third. You are not a medic with 'incredible' strength, like I am. You cannot control wood, like my grandfather, or fight with the deadly skill of my uncle, the Second. But you have surpassed the Fourth, and that is enough for me. I believe you are worthy of the title, 'Kage'."

The old blond raised her head from Naruto's tear-streaked face to look over the crowd, "Are there any among you who agree that Namikaze Naruto is, like his father before him, worthy of the rank of Kage?"

The blond ninja didn't dare turn around. He could barely raise his eyes, swimming as they were, to see the vague outlines of Genma and Shizune, both of whom had an arm raised.

"Very well. And those who disagree, who feel that he is not ready, or not worthy, or not an acceptable leader for Konohagakure?"

Again, he couldn't look, couldn't even raise his eyes from the blurred steps of the ninja school.

"I see. You may stand at ease, everyone. Naruto- step forward."

His first step missed, only the tips of his sandaled foot catching the stair, and it slipped down. Red in the face, he tried again, watching each step as he went upwards, one by one.

And then, at the top, he found something soft pushing against his spiked hair and head.  
"Naruto," Tsunade said very quietly, "a step too far."

Even more red in the face, the crowd began to giggle again, as much at Tsunade's embarrassment as Naruto's.

"Look up, Naruto," Shizune hissed, and it took all he had to comply.

"That's it," Tsunade whispered, her lips barely moving, "you only have to look at me. Forget everyone else is here."

Then, in a firm, ringing voice again, "Namikaze Naruto, my final act as Hokage will be to pass the title, the duties, and the responsibility to protect and care for this village above all else to you. Do you accept?"

He was unable to speak, his throat constricted and swollen. _It's... yes! Kami, yes!_

Finally, he nodded, and the old woman before him decided it was enough. "Then take this robe, and this jingasa, and by donning them, become the Rokudaime, the Sixth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves!"

As one, Sakura and Hinata stepped forward to stand beside him, Hinata taking the red and white hat, Sakura the robe, which they placed on him as gracefully as they could, stepping back again after they had finished.

"It is done. I present the Rokudaime, Naruto!"

He tried not to let the hands she placed on his shoulder move him, but he was too excited, too scared, too nervous, too happy all at once to even focus the tiniest bit of chakra to resist her- not that it'd have done any good. He was turned, without much ceremony, to face the crowd.

One after another, singly at first, and then in groups, and the last all at once, the shinobi before him went down on one knee.

"Hokage Naruto!"

* * *

"I didn't think it'd be this... small," he said, looking around uncomfortably at the Headmaster's office, which Tsunade had usurped for her own use temporarily. "Your old office was much bigger, Obaa-chan."

"Watch it, squirt, I'm still a Kage- I can take back over if I have to kill you."

His eyes rolled, but thankfully he was still facing away. He stepped around the desk and sat down, putting his arms behind his head and leaning back in the soft chair, "Aah... now this, I could get used to. Hey- Hinata! If I become as fat as Choji 'cause I never get up again, will you still love me?"

The three women laughed, even more when Hinata replied in a quiet voice, "I think you'll be 'getting up' plenty in your new chair, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade grumbled through her giggles, "I could have died perfectly happy, not ever hearing how much you three are going to use that office... but I guess it's got to be christened _sometime_. I mean, my grandfather got some use out of the first one... eww. Bad images!"

It was the newlywed's turn to laugh at the old woman, now.

After she'd stopped shaking, and it looked like she'd be able to control her sudden nausea, she stood up straight, "All right then, Hokage-sama," she said with a smirk, "what's my first assignment? I've already got Shizune overseeing the hospital, and the reconstruction is actually ahead of schedule overall."

The closed his eyes, still leaning back, and rocked a little before answering, "Training. I seem to recall that we had a huge number of D-ranked missions, and our Genin were unwilling to take such... unglamorous assignments. Well, someone has to do it, and I figure a Kage-rank shinobi should be able to bust them out and clear the lot in, oh, a few hours. And this way," he continued over her sputtering, "you can ease back into the active-shinobi workforce!"

"You little _shit_! You've been in office for _ten minutes_ and you're already assigning _me_ to D-rank missions?!"

It was Sakura whose composure broke first. Being closest to Tsunade, seeing her usually in-control (despite appearances to the contrary) sensei taken in by such a simple bluff was just too much. But after the kunoichi had begun to laugh uproariously, Hinata and Naruto weren't far behind. Once she'd seen them laughing, Tsunade had a hard time keeping from joining in- but had her annoyance to back her up.

"Tch. Fine, I see how it is. No respect for your elders. Well, I'll tell you what, Hokage-_kōhai_. I'll just assign myself, since you don't have any mission of my caliber."

She walked forward and reached out to the desk, but as soon as her hand touched a piece of paper, he slapped his down on top of hers.  
"What do you think you're doing, _senpai_? I'm Hokage, and I'm in charge- and besides," he continued, relaxing back into the chair, "I already have a mission in mind for you."

Her eyebrow twitched, and she stood up straight, "What is it?"

He waved a hand dismissively, smiling, "Oh, it's a mission truly worthy of your talents. In fact, I don't think there's a ninja alive who could do it better than you."

Her eyes narrowed, and she repeated herself with a growl, "What. Is. It?"

Naruto grinned widely, "Play Shizune for me, until I'm really ready for this."

Her outraged shriek could be heard for miles.

* * *

His day was spent as planned; meeting the various dignitaries and officials of the Village and surrounding lands, including another short interview with the Daimyo, Hoshi Gakayen. After that, he reviewed again and again the state of Konoha, from it's financial reports to troop placement, training schedules, and missions- to be done, in progress, and completed within the last year. The workload had only reached the half-way point when dinner came and went, so Tsunade had ordered- on her account, for once- dinner for the lot of them.

Afterwards, though, Hinata and Sakura left for home, promising that they'd keep Naruto's bed warm for when he was finally set free.

"Come on, Obaa-chan," he groaned well after midnight, "it's _so_ late already! How come we're doing all of this? You never stay up this late- I know you don't!"

She gave him a look that said, quite firmly, 'I did, frequently, you'll just have to suck it up'.

"Come on! Can't we just do this tomorrow?"

"No, Naruto, we can't. Look... I understand how you feel. But this stuff needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. Once you're caught up, it won't be this bad- unless something happens. The only reason it's behind now is 'cause of Sasuke. You're lucky we had so many of the records in a recoverable fashion- can you even imagine doing this from _memory_?"

The new Hokage shuddered and grumbled, "Fine... one more hour, then I'm going _home_."

* * *

At the residence of said Hokage, his two wives were enjoying a late-night tea in their living room, each sitting on one end of the couch, facing each other with their legs intertwined.  
"I'm not sure," Hinata was saying, not meeting the other's eyes, "it's a bit soon to tell. Shouldn't I just wait for a few more days before I say anything, so I know for sure? Maybe I'm just adjusting to your schedule."

Sakura nodded, "That's possible, but I don't think so. I've been on birth control for six months, and I've been skipping my period completely."

The former Hyuga's eyes widened slightly, "You... you can do that?"

The pink-haired woman's face twisted into a smile, her eyes twinkling, "Didn't you know? I guess you aren't a medic, but... I figured most women knew. Yeah, if you skip the placebo, you don't have a period. There's rumors that it can cause long-term problems later in life, but so far as I know, there's no actual proof of it."  
Hinata was a while responding, "Well... if I _am_, it'd be too late anyway. And it's not like I'm not happy... if I am, it'll be the best thing that's ever happened to me... aside from you and Naruto-kun."

Sakura smirked, "Nice recovery, Hinata. But seriously... if you _are_, you should tell him as soon as you can, so he has time to prepare himself mentally. You know how stressed out he can get if he's caught by surprise."

The dark-indigo haired kunoichi nodded, "Yes... I will tell him as soon as I'm sure. You can check it, right?"

"Yes, but not right away. We might have to wait a month or so. It'd be pretty weird," Sakura mused with a finger on her jawline, "I mean, it's not unheard of, the first time, but statistically speaking, it's not that common. I don't know... maybe Naruto's just that good. But that means, if you aren't, and aren't _ready_, we should get you started on the pill as soon as we can."

Hinata nodded slowly, finally looking up to meet her love's eyes, "I'm ready. I think... I've always wanted to bear Naruto-kun's children. If it's now, then... I'll be happy. I hope he will be, too."

The green eyes rolled, "Of _course_ he will be, Hinata! Naruto's always wanted a family more than anything- even back when we were little kids, that's all he ever really wanted- even more than being Hokage."

"And... what about you, Sakura-chan?"

She blinked.

"Umm... me? You mean, kids?"

Hinata nodded.

"Well... I guess, someday, I wouldn't mind. But I'm not really that good with children, and... to be honest, they kind of scare me. They're so _weak_, and I feel like... if I do anything wrong, I could ruin them forever, or kill them, or something."

Lavender eyes watched emerald for a long time before the shorter woman set down her empty tea cup, and half rose to edge over on her knees. She gently pushed Sakura's legs apart and lay down on top of her, resting her head on the other woman's firm breast, "Sakura-chan, I think you'll make an excellent mother, one day. I know Naruto has always wanted you to bear him children, too."

"But I... I just... I don't know."

_I mean... it's Naruto. I love him, more than anything- except Hinata. But children? I don't know if I could... take it. This isn't anything like my worries about jealousy. I'm not afraid of the childbirth. I know I'm not really built for it, like Hinata is, but I'm strong and I could do it. But... what if I damaged the baby in some way? Or dropped it, or... so many things could go wrong, and if anything happened, it would be _my_ fault._

Her worries and musings were interrupted by Hinata's lips on her own. Sakura found herself responding before she was even aware of what the other woman was doing, and already had her hands tangled in dark, indigo hair when she came back to herself.

"Sakura-chan," Hinata asked demurely, "do you want to make love to me? While we wait for Naruto-kun to come back, I mean?"

_What the... she's... never asked me that. Just me, and just her? What will..._ "Umm... do you think Naruto would..."

"Care?" Hinata asked, smiling.

Sakura nodded.

"No," the other woman replied, "I think he'd be excited if he knew. Naruto... he can be jealous about a lot of things, but I don't think he'd ever be jealous of us- unless we ignored him."

The taller kunoichi smiled wickedly, "And we'd only do that to punish him if he's naughty, right?"

Hinata nodded, this time.  
"Then... I'd _love_ to. But let's go in the bedroom, just in case Shishio comes back home with him."

It didn't take the two long to reach the bedroom and close the door behind them.

* * *

Clothes were taken off quickly, almost rushed, but both Sakura and Hinata did so only to get to the good part sooner. Hinata spent a long time admiring her wife's form before stepping into her embrace and sliding her smooth hands up the other woman's lightly-scarred back. "Hmm... Sakura-chan, how did you get this scar? This one right... here."

The emerald eyes closed for a moment, and Hinata watched Sakura's face grimace in remembered pain, "That was... from the fight with the Akatsuki member, Sasori. One of his puppets caught me. Lucky it wasn't a poisoned one."

"Hmm... very," Hinata said, stepping around the other woman and bending down to trace her fingers along it before trailing behind them with her soft lips.

"Oh... Kami, Hinata..."

The former Hyuga put her hands on the small of Sakura's back and pushed her gently to the bed, where Sakura quickly crawled up onto it and looked back, still on her hands and knees, at the other woman.  
"Lay on your stomach, Sakura-chan," Hinata instructed, and the kunoichi quickly complied.

Hinata climbed up next to her and began to massage the other woman gently, but with increasing strength as the surface muscles loosened. Within minutes, her kneading fingers and gentle chakra manipulation had Sakura moaning with pleasure and released tension.

Hinata's hands, so unused to the activity but skilled nonetheless, roamed up and down Sakura's strong back, shoulders, and arms before rising to caress and massage her neck and the back of her head. From there, she moved down again across her back, then her legs, down to her feet. The first touch on the pads of Sakura's foot made her kick and giggle, so Hinata relented.  
"Roll over, Sakura-chan," Hinata said softly, and the pink-haired woman complied at once. When she looked up at Hinata, the dark-haired woman wasn't really surprised to see that the green eyes were already clouded over with an odd combination of lust and relaxation, both energetic and at peace.

Once again, Hinata's hands began to move over Sakura's body, beginning at her hands, sliding up her arms, again over her neck, then traced each collarbone before skimming around the outside of Sakura's pert breasts and down to work her abs gently.

She didn't spend long on those, though, because she could see Sakura's muscles twitching with repressed desire for her to move further, to do more than just massage. _And I want to, as well._

"Hinata... don't be a tease."

She grinned, but obeyed her lover all the same. One hand moved to slide over and around each of Sakura's erect nipples, her fingertips tracing the areolae, while she left butterfly-light kisses trailing from Sakura's navel down to the trimmed patch of pink hair between her legs.

"Do you want me to kiss you more, Sakura-chan?"

But the woman beneath her could only moan.

Taking that for the yes that it most definitely was, Hinata smiled widely before bringing her lips in to brush oh-so-softly against the tender skin of Sakura's sex. Out of the corner of her eyes, Hinata saw the muscles in each of Sakura's strong thighs quivering, and she heard Sakura's breath catch in her throat as soon as she made contact.

_There... that's my target. But I should be gentle and careful, I don't want to hurt her..._

Slowly, cautiously, even hesitantly, Hinata's tongue slipped out from between her lips to caress along Sakura's folds, getting her first direct taste. _It's so sweet, like honey._ "Do you like this, Sakura-chan? Am I making you feel good?"

This time, the other woman was able to make some semblance of a reply, "Oh Kami, yes, Hinata. Lick me... more. _More_!"

She needed no more encouragement. The hand already on Sakura's breasts pinched a nipple, while she slid the other up the woman's thigh and brushed her fingers against the other woman's labia before slowly, carefully inserting one finger.

"Hi... Hinata!"

_No pain... she likes it._ The finger began to move in and out, twist around and back, slowly at first, but faster and faster until Sakura began to pant. _She's close..._

And then the finger withdrew, and Hinata rose from her position between Sakura's legs to stand on her knees looking down at the other woman.

"Hin... ata?"

The medic's breathing was slowly regulating, but she couldn't see any expression on the other's face. "Sakura-chan. Do you _really_ think it's fair if you have pleasure, but I don't?"

_What the... Hinata?_

"Answer me!"

"Umm... no?"

"And what are you going to do about it?"

Sakura looked almost lost, but fortunately the answer came to her- and it'd been something she'd wanted to do for ages, anyway- return the favor. "I'm... going to eat... umm... I'm going to eat your pussy?"

Hinata smiled and knee-walked forward over Sakura's torso until her own glistening, still-shaved crotch was over the other woman's face. She lowered herself slowly until Sakura's bangs began to tickle her legs, and then almost screamed when Sakura's long, powerful tongue was thrust deep inside her.

In what felt like moments, she was shaking as an orgasm rocked her. But after she'd come down and tried to give her over-sensitive clit a break, she found Sakura's strong hands wrapped around her thighs, preventing her from escaping from the other woman's lashing tongue.

"Saku... Sakura-chan! I.. I... please, stop! I need to-"

There was a muffled sound from between Hinata's legs, something that may have been, "No way in hell".

She tried to stand again, but the arms of the other woman only pulled her womanhood closer to the other's face in response. After a third try, Hinata gave in- she could already feel another orgasm building anyway. She gave in to the urges then, and brought one hand up to tweak and pinch her own hard nipples, and leaned back to rub the other up and down, then in circles, across Sakura's own thatched groin.

Just as Hinata felt her second orgasm peaking, Sakura's pelvis thrust upward three times, violently, and she screamed into the shaved flesh between Hinata's legs.

* * *

Both were still awake, and very naked, when Naruto came home. But while he stood in the doorway of their bedroom admiring them both for a moment, by the time he'd stripped off his clothes and made it onto the bed, he was already too asleep to do anything but fall further into slumber.


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 39**

"..."

"Naruto-kun?"

"..."

The new Hokage was unusually quiet, but the indigo haired woman sitting across the desk from him in his newly-rebuilt office didn't have any reason to wonder exactly why. She had just told him, calmly and firmly, that she was pregnant with his first child.

"..."

Of course, the silence _was_ starting to tell on the kunoichi. _Is he... not happy? But Sakura-chan said he'd be very pleased. I don't understand... maybe he's not ready? I mean, we are pretty young- Father and Mother didn't conceive me until she was twenty-three. Is..._

"Come on, Naruto," the other occupant of the room said from her position leaning against the door, "Hinata wants to hear you say something. _Anything_. Are you happy? Sad? Upset? Angry? Worried? Scared? Just say something. Tell her how you feel."

"Ano... it's... okay, Sakura-chan," the lavender-eyed beauty said, "He doesn't have to... until he's..."

"My child? Our child, Hinata?" His voice was low, quieter than she could remember it ever being. So quiet she could barely hear it.  
"Y... yes, Naruto-kun. The first Namikaze heir."  
Hinata could see the expressions flitting across her husband's face in rapid succession. _Worry. Yes, that's appropriate. Fear, yes... he wonders if he'll be able to keep me and our child safe. It's a dangerous world for a shinobi. And... pride? Naruto... you are..._

"I'm... I... I don't know what to say," he mumbled, not able to look up from the desk. Both women could see the tears running freely down his face, however. "I..."

Sakura sighed, "Yeah, yeah, we get it. You're at a loss for words, for the first time ever. So just answer a simple question and give Hinata a break. How. Do. You. Feel. About. This?"

"..."

She sighed again, and her annoyance with their husband was starting to wear down Hinata's belief that he could _only_ be happy- and worried- about their child.

But then Naruto spoke, and her worries were flushed away with each word he said, "I... I just don't know the words. I don't know words that can... express how I feel right now. My... our... _child_, Hinata! I... I'm amazed, I'm in awe... you are... _wow_. A baby. _Wow_."

This time, Sakura smiled as she and the other woman shared a glance.

_Yes, Naruto-kun is happy. Really, very, truly, happy. But he'll probably be a nervous wreck as it gets closer to our due date._

"So, when is the happy day?"

Naruto jumped when Sakura asked, and turned to her sheepishly, giving her an apologetic look before turning back to Hinata- it was obvious to both of them he hadn't even thought about that question yet.  
"It's... in mid September, I think. Unless there's something wro-"

"_Don't_, Hinata! Don't even say it. Don't even _think_ it. There is going to be _nothing_ that goes wrong with our child. _Nothing_." The blond had risen to his feet in a blur, and Hinata was surprised to find him suddenly standing, his arms down with his hands flat on the desk, papers wafting down from where he'd knocked them aside in his haste.  
"I... no, Naruto-kun, I didn't mean that. I just meant..."

"He knows, Hinata," Sakura said, finally stepping away from the door to sit beside the other woman. "Sorry it took us so long to tell you, Naruto- I've known for a few weeks, now. But with everything that's been going on, you've either had no time for us to tell you, or no energy when you got home. Hinata's been dying to tell you."

His eyes widened a little when she revealed that she'd known so long when he'd just been clued in, but by the time Sakura had finished speaking, his face had gone back to something resembling his normal 'Hokage Face'. Stern, perhaps a little comically on him, but warm and caring all the same. It was the face he'd learned- the hard way, drilled into him by Lady Tsunade over the first two weeks of him being Hokage- but he'd taken to it with gusto now that he'd mastered it. It was very useful for hiding how he actually felt about things.

_But I don't want Naruto-kun hiding how he feels about this._

"Hinata, Sakura... thank you for telling me. I'm... I don't even know how I could ever say how I happy I am. But... can I get some time to think?"

Hinata rose slowly, a hand on her not-yet-swollen stomach, and Sakura rose beside her, both women smiling. "Of course, Naruto-kun," the indigo-haired woman said, taking the other's hand, "should I let Tsunade-hime know you want to cancel your appointments for a while?"

He nodded, "That'd... be great, Hinata. Thanks. Listen... let's go on a date tonight. The three of us. It's... been a long time."

When the two kunoichi left the Hokage's office, they found Tsunade whistling as she scratched off the appointments for the rest of the day in her planner, and both giggled softly to themselves to find her not meeting their gaze. It was painfully obvious, master ninja that the old blond woman was, that she'd been eavesdropping.

* * *

"Konohamaru, drop back a little. I know you're eager, but you're getting too far ahead of the others."

"But Kiba-taicho, I-"

"Konohamaru!"

"Tch... fine."

The Inuzuka rolled his eyes. _That kid... he's just like Naruto was. At least I've got some experience dealing with it now, or it'd drive me totally crazy._ "Akamaru, you move ahead and right, get ahead of them. Udon, Moegi, you take the left, Konohamaru, the right. I'll take the rear so I can work best with Akamaru."

There were clicks of affirmation through the headset as each team member, including his dog wearing the custom radio designed just for him, acknowledged his instructions.  
"And remember, guys. That long mission you were on is all about this. You've captured the target, and we've gotten the information out of it, but we _have_ to succeed on this mission too, or it's all for nothing. So don't screw it up. But no pressure, right?"

The teens growled or rolled their own eyes in response, the female putting in, "Of _course_, Kiba-taicho. No pressure at all, with the safety of the Village resting on this one mission..."

"Heh," the scruffy man chuckled, "the Hokage wouldn't have assigned us this mission if he didn't think we could handle it. And you have faith in him, right?"

The Chunin, Konohamaru, cried out, "Yosh!" over the comm, just in time to alert their target that they were coming.

The three ninja from Iwa scattered, the largest heading back toward Kiba, the small, thin one- carrying the documents they needed- fled to the north into a rocky area where Moegi and Udon should just be arriving, and the last, a medium -height and -weight woman with sea-green hair fled away, again directly toward Akamaru. _And _that's_ why we split up and surround an enemy before we move in!_

The largest Iwa ninja didn't even have a chance- in his haste to evade the Leaf ninja, to the South, he'd neglected to even notice the more experienced and powerful one to the West. Just as Kiba stepped out from behind the large tree, their heads collided with a loud crunch. Dazed, the Inuzuka shook his head and closed his shaken eyes, relying on senses that were harder to fool.

There were a number of crashes below, a loud one, and then silence. _He fell through a few branches and hit the ground- but I don't hear him moving. And I smell blood. I'd better go check, though._

Elsewhere, the kunoichi had a similar experience with the gigantic, white-furred canine. While she sensed his presence a little earlier because Akamaru was growling quietly as she approached, she wasn't able to escape due to the speed and ferocity of his attack. In just seconds, after three kunai had bounced off the dog's steel-like fur, his great jaws closed about her neck and it was all over.

A little ways to the north, though, things were going differently.

Udon, a thinker and not a fighter, paired with Moegi, who could fight fairly well but was just not that physically strong, were in combat with the man who appeared to be a Taijutsu expert. Even though there were two of them and they took every opportunity to attack simultaneously, the man's speed and skill were too much for them. For every attempt at a strike, he hit them each at least once, usually two or three times, before they could back away again. And all the while, he was edging further into the rock formations and away from the rest of their team.

"'don, look out!"

The young kunoichi's cry didn't have the desired effect. Instead of immediately ducking or jumping to the side, her teammate looked around for the source of the threat- something he did a lot. _Damn it, Udon! Haven't you learned by now to move first, and _then_ look around?!_

But Moegi didn't have much time to worry, because the enemy ninja performed three quick hand signs and released a burst of chakra into the ground. Before she could even analyze what attack he'd used, the ground around her collapsed, sending the kunoichi hurtling into the depths of the earth.

Just before her head hit a stone and she lost consciousness, Moegi heard Konohamaru's desperate call, "Moegi!"

_The Cavalry has arrived..._

On the surface, the last remaining Iwa had seen that the tables had turned- where he now faced the weakest of the opponents and was the strongest on his team, the strongest of the opposing team- and their team leader- were facing him, and both were enraged. _I need to escape- the mission is too vital to be caught! Whatever it takes, I have to..._

He turned and ran, ignoring the calls of 'coward' and 'worthless Iwa' that followed. Unfortunately for him, like his female companion before him, he fled from Kiba and Konohamaru straight into Akamaru's jaws. And once that great dog got a hold of you...

* * *

"Hinata? Sakura?"

The house was dark and silent when he got home, but Naruto wasn't terribly surprised. Once again, it was very late. But unlike usual, this time he wasn't exhausted from the day's work. If anything, he felt keyed up and raring to go- in more ways than one. But when the blond Hokage reached their bedroom, he was surprised to see the bed unoccupied- at least by a person. Instead, there was a single piece of clean paper, with Sakura's clear handwriting on it.

_Naruto, something's come up at the Hyuga complex, and Hiashi sent Hanabi to get Hinata to help take care of it. I'm with her, so you don't have to worry. We should be back by morning- try and get some sleep. Dinner's in the fridge, and don't worry- Hinata made it, so it's edible. Sorry we didn't have time to let you know any other way- don't worry about us. We love you, and we'll see you in the morning._

With a sigh, Naruto put the note on the bedside table and lay back against the bed, not even bothering to undress._ I haven't hardly seen either of them outside of my office since I got promoted. This sucks. How am I supposed to sleep now? I'm horny as hell 'cause it's been weeks since I got any from either of them, and now I'm here and ready, I even have the energy, and they aren't... damn it. I need to get demoted again!_

_* * *_

When Moegi regained consciousness, she was very happy to feel the light breeze against her face and hear the river nearby that told her she was not, in fact, still underground. But the fact that she couldn't _see_, even when she was sure he eyes were open, was cause for some concern.  
"Kono? Udon? Kiba-taicho? Akamaru?"

"I'm here," came the reassuring voice of her sometimes-boyfriend, always best friend, "don't try to talk too much. You bruised your neck some when you got caught in that jutsu."

"My... jutsu? Is that why I can't see?"

There was a soft chuckle, then the deep, scratchy voice of the team lead for this mission repied, "No- you can't see because your eyes are bandaged. When we found you, you had a lot of dirt and sand in there. We washed 'em out as well as we could in the river, but thought it best if we bandaged them until we get back to Konoha. Then we can have a medic look at you. Until then, it's probably best not to blink or even open your eyes too much."

"But... it doesn't hurt. My eyes, I mean. My neck hurts."

The soft, still insecure-sounding voice of Udon spoke next, "Statistically speaking, it's better to just follow his advice, Moegi-san. When there's more than just a little abrasive in an eye, any aggravation can make the odds of successful healing dramatically drop."

_Even when he's worried he still talks like that... dumb Udon._

"He's right," Konohamaru said before she could reply, "and don't tell me you were thinking he was dumb, either. You know better than that. Udon's the smartest one here."

"Hey!"

"Quiet, Kiba-sensei," Konohamaru interrupted, making Moegi smile, "you know it's true. Just 'cause you're older doesn't make you smarter than-"

At that point, Moegi wisely pretended to lose consciousness again. _It's bad enough listening to them bicker when I have to respond. At least this way I can pretend I'm asleep- and maybe Kono-kun will carry me back to the village. I don't think he likes Kiba-taicho very much, so..._

Six hours later, the team was finally nearing the Village Hidden in the Leaves again. Kiba confirmed, for the fifth time, that Udon was still carrying the documents they'd been sent to retrieve. Those two- the leader and the courier- were a good distance ahead of Konohamaru, who was indeed carrying a mostly-still Moegi on his back.

_I have to do it. It's time... so what if I've never said it before? He knows anyway- he's not that thick, right? He's got to know. But I still have to say it. He deserves to know for sure. So I... damn it, I hate being weak!_

"Kono-kun... I- there's something I want to tell you before we reach the village."

He missed one step, but retained his footing, though at a slower pace as he turned his head to bring his right ear closer to Moegi's whispering lips. "Go on."

"... we've... we've been friends for a long time, right?"

He nodded, "Since we were in the Academy. Earlier than that, even. We were just... what, three or four when Udon started tagging along on our pranks?"

She giggled softly, undeniably happy that he remembered so much of their history together. "And you remember our first date?"

"How could I forget? Hanabi-chan tried to break it up right after I picked you up. I can't even _think_ what I saw in her to begin with. I mean, she's pretty, but such a bitch!"

Once again, Moegi smiled- that was her view of the brown-haired Hyuga girl to a T. _Even though she seems to be doing better ever since she met that Inari guy._ "... and what about our last date?"

This time, he took a little longer to reply. "Yeah... I remember all of our dates. But why bring that one up? I thought you had a terrible time."

Her arms tightened a little around his neck, and her voice dropped almost a full octave when she answered, "I didn't... I had a great time, at least until the end. But the only reason I got so mad... I'm sorry, Kono- I just wanted you to say something you weren't ready for. I expected it, just because I was ready, and... I got so mad, when you didn't deserve it."

"Wh... what's brought this one, Moegi? Did your life flash before your eyes earlier, or something?"

She growled, then relented at once, "No, stupid- I've been trying to work up the nerve to tell you this for _ever_. I- well... you know how you always yell at me for stretching and stuff by you?"

"Uhmm... yeah?"

"Well... I do it on purpose. I have been, every single time."

"But- _why_?"

The top of the arch over the village gates could be seen through the trees, but the young man didn't stop walking. Instead, he plodded steadily onward, knowing he'd never hear the end of it if he was too far behind Kiba.

"I... wanted to see if you really thought I was good looking, or if you were just hanging out with me 'cause I'm your team mate."

He snorted, and the arms around his neck tightened dangerously for a moment before he wheezed out, "No- that's not how I meant it! Moegi..." he resumed again in his normal voice- the one he saved only for her, when they were talking in private- "you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen. That's why I ask you to stop all the time- when you stretch, I can't think of anything _else_!"

Her face almost as red as her hair, Moegi smiled widely, then leaned her head in close to his ear again, "So when you say you like me- what do you mean by it?"

_Oh shit... is she... is she really asking me that? She knows I'm not good at... feelings, and stuff!_

"I... umm... I-"

"No, it's okay, Kono-kun. You don't have to answer," she said in an unusually soft voice, "I shouldn't have asked. I was just... trying to work up the nerve to tell you something myself."

"... what is it, Moegi?"

"Konohamaru- I haven't 'liked' you since... I guess our second date. That's when I knew, at least."

He froze mid-stride, his left foot completely off the ground, for half a heartbeat. When he resumed, his pace was completely different- angry, furious, maybe even a little terrified.

"No- Kono- why are you getting mad at me? I just- I don't 'like' you, Konohamaru, I _love_ you! Don't you get it?! Or is that such a bad thing?"

This time, his stride froze for a lot longer.

In the distance, she could hear Kiba's jeers- it was obvious to her, now, that he'd been able to hear the entire conversation with his dog-like hearing. But she refused to back down. _I've finally done it- I said it, and I'm never taking it back! I love Sarutobi Konohamaru- and I'm going to marry him some day!_

"You... really mean that, Moegi?"

Uncaring of the fact that she couldn't see his face, or of the fact that she knew- able to see it or not- that the gate guards and rest of their team were just meters away, Moegi slipped her legs out of Konohamaru's arms and stood on her own before spinning him around to face her.

She leaned in slowly, now terribly nervous despite her bravado. She leaned too far, though, because Konohamaru had taken a terrified step back.

"M-M- Moegi-chan... are you... areyoutryingtokissme?"

Her forehead wrinkled over the bandages, and she stood up straight again, her eyes level with the brown-haired boy's chin, but she didn't respond.

… _hell with it._

Throwing his own caution to the winds, Konohamaru tilted his head down and gave Moegi his- and her- first kiss.

* * *

"I'm so sorry, Tenten... if there's anything I can do..."

The tall kunoichi flinched away from the comforting hand on her shoulder as she lay in her wedding futon. _Just a month ago, Neji and I got married... and I've already killed his firstborn son! I'm so useless... I should just die!_

After a long time, Sakura stood from the edge of the bed and padded softly out of the room. In the hallway were Hinata, Hiashi, Hanabi, and Neji- each of them visibly worried, one of them starkly terrified.

"Is it-" Hinata asked, but was unable to finish the sentence she'd barely begun.

Tears welling in her eyes, Sakura swept Hinata into her arms as she sobbed, choking out the words everyone in the hall was dreading. "He's... he- I'm so sorry Neji, I tried everything I know, I just... I couldn't save him. It was too early."

The Hyuga complex rang out with the sound of Neji's grief, joined by his two cousins and uncles'.

In the room nearby, Tenten cried her own silent tears.

"I don't think she should be alone- not even for a second," Sakura said about an hour later after she'd cried herself out, "she's too quick, and can get weapons from too many places. A woman... that's just lost a child so soon after her wedding... she might try to..."

Before she even drew the next breath to continue speaking, Neji was gone from the room in a swirl of chakra and leaves.

Hanabi gasped, a hand over her wide-open mouth. "You don't think she'd- would she really-"

Hinata nodded at her little sister, "It's possible, Hanabi-chan. If I lost my baby... _Kami_, I feel so guilty!"

Sakura's slender arm went around her wife's shoulders yet again as she whispered, "You don't have anything to feel guilty for, Hinata. This was... no one's fault. Not Neji's, not Tenten's, and not yours. It just... it happens. We just have to be strong, and help her move forward. She's young, there's still plenty of time for her to have lots of beautiful boys and girls."


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 40**

Across the continent, the winter had been one of the coldest in living memory- for which Konoha and it's ninja forces were very grateful. While there was a month or more of days when the snow blanketed the ground, it was unusual enough that even the elderly spent most of their time outside with the children, engaging in snowball fights, building fortresses and snow caves, and otherwise enjoying the unusual weather.

For Iwa, though, higher in elevation and further from the warm coastal winds, the winter hadn't been so much a pleasant surprise as a brutal enemy that showed no mercy. According to their most recent scouting reports, backed by Jiraiya's- now the Hokage's- information network, the death toll in Iwagakure alone had climbed into the high thousands, many hundreds of them shinobi out on patrols. In the outlying, smaller villages and settlements, the estimates were much higher.

Those two factors made what would normally have been the grimmest gathering of people since before Christmas in Konoha significantly happier than they would otherwise have been.

"I don't get it," Naruto said- predictably, to Shikamaru at least- "if they knew the winter was going to be bad, why did they put all their men out in the field where they have to suffer from even worse conditions?"

Across the War Room, which at the moment was displaying a large map of Ho and Tsuchi, their felt surfaces touching along the shared border, the black-haired genius shrugged. "I don't know myself. The spies say they moved out in late fall, but even then we already knew we were in for a harsh winter- so when they said they'd be coming back in spring, we assumed they knew about it and were prepared to wait. But this long? I don't know, it just doesn't seem right. They lost a _lot_ of men from the cold and disease, being camped in the same place for so long."

Genma, at the meeting both because he was one of the most experienced Jonin- but more so because Tsunade had brought him along with her, despite Naruto's quiet protests- spoke up for the first time since his arrival an hour earlier, "'s a damned good thing Lady Hinata told us about the winter too- or we'd have been caught with our pants down. How'd she know, anyway?"

Naruto didn't answer, but turned his unusually attentive gaze away from the older ninja as soon as he'd finished speaking. It was clear to everyone that the subject of how one of the Hokage's wives just _knew_ so many things was not a topic open for discussion. Fortunately, that secret was known by very few people- and if Genma didn't know, Naruto was glad that Tsunade could really be trusted with the information. _'cause we've needed her advice a time or two this winter. _

Beside the young Hokage, his new sensei- in both beginning Healing Jutsu and the art of being a successful Kage- frowned, "I agree with Shika, though. Something is going on with them. Hinata said she was made to assassinate the Lord High Priest of Iwagakure. He's both their nation's leader and their Tsuchikage. But if there was a coup, then... who has been pulling their strings all this time?"

That question- at once both simple and extremely complex- caused several blank pieces to fall into place in the intelligent, pink-haired kunoichi on Tsunade's other side. "Sasuke."

Her answer was greeted with stunned silence. _Should have known that's how they'd react._

"How.... why do you think that, Sakura?" The genius was annoyed that the blond across the table had accepted her hypothesis without thinking about it. _So much trouble, just 'cause he assumes everything that comes out of her mouth is absolutely golden. Just like when she said I was cheating on Temari... like I'd even _dare_. _

"Well, he had the means and the motive. Iwa got their asses handed to them in the last war. Yeah, they've rebuilt a lot of their strength, and maybe they've held a grudge- but you'd think they'd need some outside motivation, a push to get them to be so aggressive. I mean, it's a lot of work to instigate a war without a sneak attack. And look what they did with Suna? They want this to be done right. That means someone has to have pushed for it in the first place.

"And remember, besides Orochimaru, no one had a bigger grudge against Konoha than Sasuke. Once he found out the truth about Itachi and his whole clan... well... anyway, according to Hinata, Kamagi was a pretty damned good ninja. And in her dream, Hinata said that someone was using Genjutsu to fool her into thinking someone _else_ was sending the dream- so maybe it was fooling her even further, and it was really Sasuke that did it all? I mean, for all we know, Kamagi could have _been_ Sasuke- he'd have personal reason to hurt Hinata then, just to get at Naruto."

"It's a bit of a stretch," Temari- the only non-Konoha shinobi present- "but it does sound at least a little believable."  
While the Suna kunoichi- she'd retained her loyalty despite the marriage to Shikamaru- spoke, Naruto's eyes drifted once more to Genma. _He noticed. Damn... Sakura, I told you to be careful. Oh well... I guess the secret's gonna come out sooner or later anyway._

"So motive, yes. Maybe means- the Sharingan is- well, mostly was- a really strong Genjutsu ability. But as smart as Sasuke could be, I don't see him planning that kind of long-term thing. He always liked to rush into confrontations and brute force his way out- even more than I did, back then."

Sakura's face fell at Naruto's words, but this time, it was Shikamaru who came to her defense, "True- but look how much you've changed over the years, Naruto. I knew even back then you weren't the screw up you always came across as, but to see your dream of Hokage actually being realized? And what's more, I think you're the best person in the village for it. So... maybe he changed, too."

Naruto blushed a deep crimson, and Sakura, seeing his reaction to the genius' praise laughed to herself. _I've never heard Shika say anything that nice about _anyone_, much less Naruto!_

The planning session turned debate lasted, once again, until the moon was already low in the sky again before Sakura and Naruto, accompanied by Genma and Tsunade, made their slow way through the empty streets of Konoha toward home.

"But Sakura, I still don't see how your dad could have been involved in it."

"Would you _please_ stop calling him that, Naruto?"

The two older shinobi shared a look that clearly said they both knew the younger male was heading for a bruised skull the way he kept talking.

"He's _not_ my dad! He may have been my donor, but he hasn't been a _father_ to me in years! Kakashi-sensei was more my dad than he was. And cheating on my _mother_... I'll never forgive him for that, who cares if he's dead now!"

The old Jonin finally took his senbon out of his mouth to respond to that, and the subtle clue let everyone present- even Naruto- know that for once, he was serious about what he was going to say. "But that's probably as close as Sasuke- or any spy, really- could have gotten. A parent or sibling of one of Naruto's teammates... I mean, none of the Konoha Eleven would have betrayed him except the Uchiha bastard, or any of his other friends, either. They're all too loyal to this punk."

The final gesture toward the Hokage- disrespectful as it may be- made Tsunade and Sakura both laugh while Naruto glowered at the older man.

"Seriously, though- what better way to report on his movements? It wouldn't be unusual for him to talk to his daughter about her friends, right? Maybe that was how Sasuke was using him. If he was, I mean."

Sakura snorted, "Nah- I haven't talked to my dad about Naruto since I was fifteen and told him he was getting kind of cute. Blew a fuse that day- yelling about how I'd never be allowed to date the Kyuubi Container. Bullshit, if you ask me."

Beside her, Naruto jerked to a stop so suddenly that her hand- held in his- was pulled free before she realized he wasn't keeping pace. "Naruto?"

When the two older ninja turned to join the kunoichi in looking at her husband, they were surprised to see his eyes- wide open and staring- very far away.

"Naruto?" Tsunade asked, Sakura repeating the unformed question once again before he blinked twice, and refocused on them.

"It was... damn, we were so _stupid_. Sakura... I'm sorry, but as much as I think your dad was a bastard for cheating on your mom... I don't think he ever sold out Konoha- or me. At least, not to the Teme."

"Why do you say that?" Sakura asked, her eyes narrowed. It was clear to her husband that she was no where near forgiving her father for anything- no matter how logical his next statement might be.

"Because- if Sasuke knew where I was, when I was vulnerable, he would have moved sooner and in a more direct way- like Shika said, that's just his style. When Hinata left. When you and I broke up. Those would have been ideal times to strike. But he never did. So your dad was either working for someone else, or he was feeding false information. So when that ANBU killed him... it can't have been because he was leaking information."

"Right," Tsunade said, convinced by the fervor in her newest apprentice's voice, "then I'll have a talk with Cougar. Maybe he's ready to talk now. In the mean time... I want you to take tomorrow off, Naruto."

"But Obaa-chan, I-"  
"Nope. Not gonna happen. Yes, you're Hokage, and yes you're a lot younger than me, but even I took days off. You haven't had one since you took office. So you spend tomorrow with your team and your family, and that's it. Don't set foot in the Tower- I'll take care of the work."

He was so relieved to see that she was serious, every thought of protest fled from him at once.

* * *

Sento Karui was still more than a little surprised to find that she'd even tried to convince the Raikage to let her stay in Konoha- almost as surprised as she was that he'd agreed, despite her flimsy excuse of 'helping Cloud-Leaf relations'. _But I guess I really am, in a way. I mean, look what Suna and Konoha have gotten out of that marriage alliance they have going with the Kazekage's sister and Choji's friend, the Nara. Still- wait, what the hell? I've only known the kid for four months, and I'm already thinking about marriage? Omoi and Samui would never forgive me if I tied the knot before they did!_

"Hey, Karui- you're spacing out again. What's on your mind?"

The dark-skinned woman blushed visibly, a sure sign to Choji that she'd been thinking about him- in a way he still wasn't quite used to, even though they'd seen each other almost every day since they'd met, and they'd started officially 'dating' less than a month after that. _Heh, I still got it- I guess, anyway. Didn't take long to wear her down that I didn't care about the age difference, at least. I mean, look at Temari and Shika- she's how many years older than him?_

"Come on, you don't have to be embarrassed. I know you were thinking about me- so what exactly were you thinking?"

She turned an even deeper shade, but he didn't relent. His warm, caring gaze continued to bore holes in her stoic exterior- trained by her brother, Omoi's constant teasing and badgering- until she broke down. At least, a little. "I was just thinking about us. About... umm... where we're going."

He nodded sagely, and replied, "You were wondering if we have something that could last. Forever, I mean."

Choji, only half serious with that comment, was surprised to see the Kumo ninja blush further still and give a tiny nod, then look away, unable to meet his eyes.

When he spoke, he was sure he was even more embarrassed than she was. "I... Karui, I mean- I've never even really thought about it. I'm sorry... it's not that I don't want to, it's just... man, I'd _love_ to get married some day, have kids of my own... but I'm pretty young, you know? I don't mean-" he stammered, when she turned back to look at him with a shocked, hurt look in her eyes, "I don't mean you're too old for me, or I'm too young for you- I just mean... umm... I haven't given much thought to _when_ I was going to get married. You know? I thought it'd be years still before I met... well, anyone I actually liked that way. Much less that could put up with my... umm... habits."

She giggled, relieved beyond belief that he really didn't seem to mind that she was older than him by a couple of years, "Habits? That's a nice way of saying you eat like a pig."

His blush actually decreased instead of growing worse- it was something of a long-standing arrangement- unspoken, of course- that she could make fun of his eating all she wanted, so long as she didn't actually accuse him of being... well... you know.

"Hey, it's fuel. You know it, I know it, and damn the rest of the world if they don't."

She put one of her dark hands on his larger, lighter colored one across the table, "So... you really think I'm worth marrying- someday?"

_Oh man, this is _not_ how I expected today to go!_ "Uh... yes?"

His stammered, unsure reply meant everything to the kunoichi, who beamed at once across the table, then stood and leaned over the steaming barbeque to give him a kiss- that started as a peck but quickly grew into something lingering- before sitting down, her skin once again nearly purple as the other patrons of the restaurant gaped. "Then I accept. 'Some day', I'll marry you- if you want me to."

Before Choji could stammer out a response, the bell on the door chimed, and Choji's attention was drawn to the pair entering the restaurant- his teammates, Ino and Shikamaru. The blond looked amazed that every eye in the place was on their favorite table. For his part, the black-haired man took one glance around and stepped over to the table. He gave his best friend a nudge and slid in next to him, muttering, "Just say yes, Choji. You know it's too late to back out now."

Across the table, Karui grinned. _I knew I liked this kid for a reason. Too bad his other teammate's dumb, or she'd have snatched him up for sure._

* * *

A month to the day from when Choji and Karui had mutually- and unexpectedly, indirectly, proposed to each other, they- along with many Suna, a few Kumo, some non-shinobi but skilled warriors from Kiri, a few Waterfall shinobi, and three shinobi that Naruto and Sakura knew personally from Yukigakure, joined the majority of Konoha's military- both shinobi and otherwise- on the borders of the land of Fire.

"This is it," Naruto said quietly, looking out over the amassed army. Beside him stood Sakura on one side, Shikamaru on the other, and past them, Ino, Shizune, Choji, and Sai. Directly below the small stage where the group was standing stood their Genin, the other ninja they knew spread throughout the army waiting for their leader's final speech before the invasion began.

"Yep, this is it. They'll attack within a week, and we know those weapons are trouble. This is the best plan, Naruto. Have faith."

The blond glanced up to look at his tall friend for a moment, "Of course it's the right plan. I thought of it, didn't I? Just 'cause you're a genius doesn't mean no one else can have good ideas."

"Of course, Hokage-sama," the Nara man drawled, rolling his eyes at the two other members of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, "I meant no disrespect, great Hokage-sama, I only meant to say that we're behind you one hundred percent, mighty Hokage-sama. Is there anything I can get for you, beneficent Hokage-sama? Some tea? A nice herbal wash? Perhaps a massage for your aching ego, mighty Hokage-sama?"

Those able to hear the ninja's jibes burst into laughter, all except for Naruto, who looked puzzled. "What's... bene- bene- benewhatever, mean?"

When that just caused the laughter to double in volume, he glared at the lot of them and stepped forward half a step to the edge of the stage.

"My friends, Konoha and Suna have been attacked by Iwa. You all know the story, so I'm not going to go into it here. The list of grievances is long- but today, we're going to set about making it right. I don't want to call for justice- no amount of pain and death will make up for what we've been through. All I want is what my father would have wanted- what the Sandaime would have wanted, what we all want. I want there to be lasting peace. But there's only one way to accomplish that- our enemy has made it's intentions clear. They want us _gone_. Death to Konoha, they chant on the street corners of Iwagakure.

"By 'them', I don't mean the average citizen. I don't even mean the average shinobi- most of them are just following orders. It... it sucks that we have to do this. But the way I see it, we don't have a choice. They attacked us, and they're planning to do it again. This time, we're going to cut them off. We'll meet them on their turf, but in terrain we know all too well- because it used to be ours.

"We aren't going to crush them- I won't let us. But we are going to beat them down so hard, they won't think of fighting against any of us for _centuries_, not just decades like last time! So... there's a lot of us here, and I know some of you can't hear me. But pass it on, 'cause I want to make this perfectly clear. If I hear even one _rumor_ of one of you behaving in a less than honorable way, you're _dust_. We're the good guys, here. Don't behave like a bad guy. Got it?

There was a general, nervous murmur of assent, and behind him, Naruto could hear Shizune whisper through almost-unmoving lips, "Tone it down, Naruto- you're scaring them."

"Right... so... we go, we kick their asses- and we go home, safe, knowing that we were fighting to prevent more bloodshed. After all... that's what Shinobi are for, right? So... let's do what we were trained to do- let's make the killing stop _now_!"

The worry that they were following a madman into war disappeared at once, drowned by thunderous applause. Beside him, Sakura took his hand in her own again and muttered between kisses, "Nice pep talk, Hokage-sama. Do you want another kiss, Hokage-sama? Maybe a little time in our tent, _great_ and _massive_ Hokage-sama?"

On his way by, Sakura following happily behind him with her hand still in his, Naruto's free fist struck Shikamaru's shoulder hard enough to knock him down. "I may not know what bene-whatever means, but I still know when I'm being mocked, _genius_. So don't tell me you didn't deserve that."

But the fox-like grin on Naruto's face told the Nara shinobi that he was eager for the challenge between men to escalate.

_Oh, it's on, 'Hokage-sama'._


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: **So, and Well Then. Sorry about the delay- TOTALLY not my fault. I blame , or whoever/whatever caused their login process/server to go down for... at my last count, 3 days.  
On the upside, that means you get a couple of updates at once- the whole battle. I did actually write it as two separate chapters originally 'cause it was going to run very long, so you're getting it that way now. Enjoy.  
And as always, Don't. Own. It.

**Chap. 41**

The dense forest was filled with sound when the sun finally crested the low hills to the east, barely visible through the trees. Birds and insects chirped, here and there the snuffle of something larger, a boar, deer, or other animal as it foraged or hunted for it's daily meal.  
But from the mass of humanity hiding in it's depths, there was no sound. Nothing to warn the encroaching forces that drove the forest's residents before them in a gigantic, living wave, that they were going to be in serious trouble very soon.

For most of the warriors and shinobi present, this would be their first truly large-scale battle. There were many from Konoha who had fought on the front lines during the Stone's initial attack on Konohagakure, and their small amount of experience was a great help to those who had not been in any similar kind of circumstance. It was only the much older shinobi, who remembered the last war with Iwa, that were able to deal with the nervous anxiety and tension- even fear- that seemed to pass over the men and women in waves.

Sweat beaded on almost every brow, shinobi fought to maintain focus on the forest ahead through the long hours of waiting for the enemy to arrive. There would be no signal from their side, no cry of 'Attack!' or 'Charge!' to signal the ambush's beginning. Instead, each group would leap forward as soon as their nearest enemy had come into range and take them out as quickly and silently as possible.

If all went according to plan, the Leaf forces would strike and melt back into their home terrain after inflicting heavy losses, then repeat the tactic once more before switching to more conventional strategies. Of course, as Nara Shikamaru- head strategist for this army- had learned long ago, no plan survives contact with the enemy. And so it was he, more than any other man or woman present, who fretted, worried, and second-guessed himself- though he knew such action was futile at best. _I need a plan B! If they know we're here, what are we going to do? What would _they_ do? Send a small suicide force forward to draw us out? Or just stop and go around, hitting us from behind? And it's already been so long, maybe they're already here? Should we send out scouts to watch our flanks? What if..._

Then, suddenly, the man's time for worry vanished, taking that emotion with it at once. _They're here._

It was proof of the general level of skill on their side that the forest creatures, already panicked by the mass of man and machine cutting through the area, did not break into a new direction when moving directly through the Konoha forces. In fact, Shikamaru grinned to see a squirrel jump onto and right off of Naruto's blond head- for once covered in a dark-green bandana to help him hide in the forest- without pause or hesitation. _Won't be long now... I think that's their siege engines coming up now._

* * *

It was the not knowing that was the worst, in Hinata's opinion. She knew, of course, that both Sakura and Naruto were extremely skilled ninja, and could handle themselves- but this was a _war_, and things happened. People died, and all of them had friends, families to return to. _Why should I be any different? Being married to the Hokage doesn't make it any easier. Just because he holds a new title doesn't make it any less likely he'll come home in a body bag. In fact, in makes him even more a target. And what about Sakura? She may not be a target, but if I know her, she won't exactly be in the rear guard, either. She'll be right there alongside him. And if he gets attacked, so will she._

_But what else can I do? I have a responsibility to both them and the Hyuga. To all of Konoha. I have to __be here, to show the people that even being at home while our families go off to war, while difficult, we... we have to be strong, for them. To show them that we're worth fighting for, dying for._  
The resolve began to trickle back into her mind and soul, replacing little by little the fear, anguish, and worry that had slowly eaten it's way into her heart. And not a moment too soon.

The knock at the door wasn't really surprising to Hinata, but when she answered it she got a shock she'd never have expected. No less than seven women of varying ages- from twelve to forty by the look of them- were huddled up on her doorstep, or as close as they could pack in. The one directly in front, whom she presumed had knocked, said in a shaky voice, "H... I mean... Hy... no, Namikaze-hime? I... we... I mean, can..."

The reason the gathering of strangers had shown up on her doorstep made itself evident. Not just in the woman's halting words, but in the teary, haggard looks on every face- expressions that until just moments ago, Hinata had been sure mirrored her own. With a caring, gentle smile, the expecting mother took a half step back and to the side, gesturing the knot of women in. Just before she closed the door, Hinata caught another glimpse of women down the street heading in her direction, eyes cautious and watchful. _I think I'd better just leave the door open... and take the party out to the back._

"Come on, ladies, let's head out back- there are more coming. Can I get someone to help me with tea?"

She was unsurprised to see that every single one of them volunteered._ They must be as desperate for something to take their minds off of it as I am._

* * *

In the distance, off to the north at least a mile away, Naruto heard an explosion. It must have been deafening up close, but with the noise of the advancing war wagons and tramping feet of the oncoming army, it was just no louder than a wet paper bomb. _It's time._ He didn't bother sending a signal or sign to the troops immediately beside him. _They probably knew before I did, and are just waiting for me to make a move._

That move was decisive. Before the leading wagon in the enemy lance had even known it was coming, the spinning, whirling burst of air and chakra as wide as the wagon was tall crashed into it- no, through it- and continued on it's deadly path, straight as an arrow into the forest. Dimly, the blond could hear the crash of trees he'd cut down with the first move as the massive amount of chakra was spent with each devastating touch. _Not even a spray of blood- it's like that wagon just disintegrated completely, along with everything in it._

To his side, Shikamaru grinned faintly, catching Naruto's eye, "Hey, blondie. Don't you know Kage-rank shinobi are supposed to be proficient in _four_ elements, not one? Even Jonin have to be good with at least two- and three is preferred!"

Sakura snorted, "Shika- Naruto may only know Wind Jutsu, but that doesn't mean he can't learn others. He's only been Kage for a little while, cut him some-"

Next to her on the other side, Gaara interrupted, "Naruto is also skilled with Katon, Tsuchidon, and Raiton."

Those able to hear the Kazekage's rasping words froze, all except for Naruto, who grinned as his cheeks pinked a little, even with enemy troops now running forward, weapons raised.

"Heh heh... yeah. I kind of got trained a little in all of them while I was traveling with the Perv, but I learned most of it later on... I keep Clones in the Hokage Library all the time."

Shikamaru's eyes widened, and without seeming effort, he flicked a finger toward the nearest group of men, who, struggling against their own muscles, turned suddenly to begin fighting those behind them. The few able to break free of Shika's control were quickly annihilated by Sand Bullets, long before even approaching the group.

"How come you never use anything else then, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked, nonplussed.

The Hokage shrugged, "Just more used to Wind. I've been able to manipulate it a lot longer- and it usually gets the job done."

Sakura glanced away from her husband to send a kick to an enemy officer- a Jonin, by the vest- sending him flying backwards into another wagon, punching a hole in one wall with his head.

"Come, the battle begins in earnest," Gaara said, turning his attention forward again, "there's no time for ego stroking. Fight!"

Through all the years of their friendship, Naruto and Gaara had never fought side by side in a large scale combat. And Sakura could now see why. _It's just... overkill. Me and Shika are their 'backup', but no one is even getting close. Kazekage-sa- no, Gaara has quite a bit of chakra, and uses it so carefully, he's like me. But that sand is still so powerful, even without Shukaku to back it up. And of course, Naruto... now that the fox is gone, his chakra is so endless I don't think we'd ever see the end of it. Unless he gets attacked by a hundred Aburame again. And I have to admit he's gotten much better with his jutsu, as well. There's no interference at all, and all the time spent learning to control his chakra with the Kyuubi messing him up... well, he probably has as much control as I do, now. _

A hand suddenly thrust itself from the ground to wrap around Sakura's ankle, but before she could bend low and crush the ground the shinobi was hiding in, Gaara's twisting foot caused the same earth to move in a maelstrom pattern, and the smell of blood intensified. Sparing a look down, the kunoichi saw that the brown earth had been tinged throughout the area with a dark red color- and her own feet hadn't moved at all.

"Gaara, you are also an Earth jutsu user?"

He nodded once, but didn't relent from his attack.

The group was swiftly moving forward now, the Iwa troops having either been ordered to retreat to let them by, or falling swiftly to their attacks.

Shikamaru spoke for the first time in three hours, long after they'd lost sight of their nearest allies, "I guess it's a good thing we put the greenest troops near us. They won't _have_ to see much combat after the four of us are done."

Naruto laughed, and for a moment, it sounded to Sakura almost as if the Fox had returned, but when Naruto looked over to her, the grin was purely his own, "Got 'em on the run. Shika, you said the Tsuchikage would be here somewhere, right?"

The genius nodded, tossing a paper bomb-wrapped kunai behind him at a sudden attacker, "Should be. I'm guessing in the center- just like in Shogi. That's actually why I lined us up this way. If we keep going like this, we'll catch up within an hour unless he's in a full retreat."

Gaara's response was simply, "He won't. He's foolishly arrogant, like Naruto used to be."

* * *

Neji parried another of the heavy, flail-like weapons away from the Genin behind him, but this time one of them actually protested. "Hyuga-sama," the youngest boy- who still reminded him painfully of his old teammate and sensei- whined, "Please leave some for us! We aren't getting any practice at all!"

The silverish eyes turned back on the waiting group of Genin, then moved once to each side to see Ino and Choji, joined by his new girlfriend, each taking command of one of the groups of Genin for this battle. "Sorry," he said as calmly as he could, "but I promised Sakura-san that I would keep you safe."

"But sensei told us we should fight!" This time, the speaker was the lithe, almost gaunt girl that Neji knew was Choji's cousin.

With a sigh, he relaxed his stance, "Fine... but if you die, I'm going to kill you. There's another few coming in about two minutes. Get ready."

Laughing and joking, each of the Genin switched ranks with the Chunin and Jonin who were guarding them and drew what weapons they could. While passing each other, Choji whispered loudly to his young cousin, "Make us proud, Soren-chan!" and then to the dark-skinned girl at his side, "She's my favorite cousin- the strongest Akimichi born in a hundred years!"

Karui's eyes widened in shock, but the skinny girl only blushed as she stepped forward the last few paces to finish the line.

The Hyuga genius pushed the couple's quiet conversation to the back of his attention, focusing it all on the Genin before him- ready to intercept any attack they might not be able to handle.

His nerves worsened when the line of warriors and shinobi stepped from the treeline towards the shallow river where they were stationed.

"Oh, look, everybody! Konoha's sent their little kiddies to protect them from the big, bad Iwa forces!" one of the approaching ninja joked to his comrades. But the younger shinobi facing him refused to give in to the taunts, or balk at the number of the enemy. Instead, each simply fell into their stances- almost as one- and waited for the enemy to come into range.

When the first foot struck the river, the Aburame from Naruto's team sent the swarm of bugs she'd hidden in the trees across the river straight downward into the enemy's massed troops, and chaos erupted.

There were strokes of lightning shooting from hands and eyes, fireballs exhaled from mouths, _and isn't that an Uchiha trick? Oh... it's Ino's girl!_ And the ground itself quaked with the force of the small but powerful Li. Only one shinobi held back, though Neji couldn't tell- even with his Byakugan activated- if it was from fear or simple patience.

After a few minutes though, as the battle was beginning to slow down in this area, he walked forward to ask quietly, "Akimichi-san, what are you waiting for?"

The red-head didn't hesitate the least in her reply, but from here he could see her eyes flittering across the battlefield as she spoke, "I'm just watching for an opening. If I use my family's jutsu here without being careful, I'll kill too many people on both sides."

Even though he was certain the teen girl wasn't lying, Neji looked over to her older cousin, who nodded solemnly. Impressed, the Hyuga stepped back behind her without another word.

When the last of that wave had fallen or retreated, the Genin let out a collective whoop of joy, _learned from our illustrious Hokage, no doubt, _and relaxed their guard significantly. Only the Hokage's team and the red-head directly in front of Neji kept their watch secure- though he could tell that Kamisori and Tenchi were maintaining a level of focus appropriate to the situation.

The sound of the the light undergrowth's rustling grew louder, then the first tree- a decade or so old, and fifteen inches thick- toppled over and was pushed into the clearing by a war machine unlike any Konoha's scouting missions had revealed.

The front of the steel-plated monster formed a back-slanted sedge which plowed through the srubs and saplings, only steering around the larger, widely-spaced and massive trunks fo the older giants. Through the greenery, Neji caught glimpses of the machine's long, serpentine form wending into the shadows. "Byakugan!"

_How many horses... _is_ that? Over fifty- do they have that many per machine? I guess they have to, because those things have got to weigh... a lot, however much it is. I can make out about fifty people in there, too- some drivers, but most are fighting men of some kind, judging by the weapons._

_My most powerful techniques won't pierce a foot of hard steel- there's no way we can stop that thing. We need someone else, someone with more striking power. Maybe Lee, or Gai-sensei. Or... Choji's family?_

"Akimichi Soren. Is it true what they say? That you have the most power of any of your clan?"

She didn't glance back, but nodded and took a ready stance so he described the inner workings- the horses were spaced evenly along both sides, six per segment, and each appeared to be hauling their own portion of the wheeled monster. The wheels themselves were heavy and thick, one per horse, the center wheels larger so the machine could flex and bend up and down as well. _It's a masterpiece of engineering, that's for sure. But facing it in battle... I'm not sure the girl is up to this. And I know no one else in our platoon stands a chance of hurting it. We just don't have that kind of ability._

But the tiny girl seemed unafraid, despite the Jonin's misgivings. As the metal beast bore down on her, she took a deep breath and waited... just a little longer.

Their watching companions were beginning to panic- the girl was dwarfed by the front segment alone. But when the plow-like metal neared her, she crouched low into a sumai-like stance and wrapped both hands under the leading edge- the gap was narrow, only a few inches, but when the girl put her shoulder against it and dug in her feet, the beast shuddered slightly, but didn't slow.

"Soren, get out of there," young Li cried, but she didn't respond except to grunt and strain harder against it.

It was horrific to the older, more experienced Neji to see the young woman- barely even a teen- strain so hard against the machine that would crush her like an ant if she failed. For her teammates, not as used to watching friends die, there was no describing it.

But that depth of fear and worry changed suddenly to hope when the worm-like monster ground to a halt, metal screeching against metal.  
"Scatter," the red-head screamed, and Neji's still-active Byakugan saw her chakra network give off a tremendous pulse.

_Holy Kami Above! She's almost as strong as Naruto!_

But where their Hokage's chakra was balanced between physical augmentation and Ninjutsu- leaning toward the Ninjutsu side- this girl, like Lee, seemed to only be able to put that power into her physical form.  
It seemed impossible, but the girl- Barely a meter and a half tall and weighing less than ninety pounds- picked the beast up from the front end until all nine segments were in the air, the horses and men strapped inside screaming.

The sheer weight pushed her down into the ground, but before her waist passed the level of the dirt, she brought it back in a body slam.

When the dirt settled and Neji dared open his sensitive eyes again, the red-head was climbing out of the hole, and there was silence throughout the area. Only the coughing of one of their companions- he wasn't sure which- broke the tranquility.  
"Akimichi-san," the Jonin said quietly, shaking his head, "I've... never seen anything like that. How do you contain that much power?"

She shrugged, not meeting his eyes, "Why, do you think I'm a freak?"

"No!" he cried, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, "I think you're amazing. If your cousin was that strong... no one would have dared call him fat. For his entire life."

She smiled just a little, then said in a voice so low the gathering members of their teams wouldn't be able to hear, "It's just the way the jutsu affects the females. The males need bulk to fuel it, the females don't. In us, the energy is more concentrated. We're... sorry, Hyuga-sama, I just can't explain it very well. Choji-senpai once told me the men get big and get strong that way, and instead of the size increase, the women just... sorry, I forgot his exact words. We just... turn it all into pure strength? Something like that... sorry...

**A/N2:** First half of the Final Battle is over, yay! Skip right on to the next chapter, which should be up soon if the logins stay up. :)


	42. Chapter 42

A/N: Don't own it.

Just got a PM letting me know that I reposted Chap. 41 twice instead of 42. Sorry about that, this is the proper chapter. (Thanks to Mister Bigglesworth for the heads up)

**Chap. 42**

It wasn't unusual for Hinata to be scared- at least not since the day had begun. She imagined she could hear the far-distant sound of explosions and the roars of summoned beasts, and seemed to have been doing so nonstop since the mass of women had finally left her home, a little less worried than before.

_They're getting closer. Seven of those machines have broken through the lines and almost made it to the wall. Fighting in the streets of Konoha... that hasn't happened in over a hundred years except for the occasional skirmish and the massacre of the Uchiha. _

No, in fact she was starting to get used to the feeling of fear. For herself, certainly- prepared for death as most ninja are, they still have the human sense of self-preservation. And she had a lot to live for besides. There was also fear for her family, her friends, the acquaintances she'd made in the course of her almost twenty-two year old life.

But for seven minutes now, the Heiress to two great names was unafraid. It had been almost a month since she'd had her last vision, but this one had made up for that lack completely.

_They'll survive. Naruto and Sakura... and our child. We will survive this battle, and this war. And there is a pink-haired girl in the future. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she finds out she's pregnant. I hope she notices soon... but Kami forbid she realizes that she's forgotten to take her birth control for two days. I think... it'll happen tonight._

She was sitting calmly at the kitchen table, sipping on tea, when the Iwa shinobi jumped the fence into their spacious back yard. He glanced in the window, eyes slightly squinted under his headband to see into the darker space, and grinned a malicious smile. The twin swords he wore on his back were brought free in a smooth motion, and he walked confidently up the few stairs and slid open the door with one hand, not releasing his grip on the blade.  
"You're the wife of the Hokage? The Hyuga?"

Lavender eyes met the enemy's, and he was visibly surprised by the calm. "I am Namikaze Hinata, yes."

The man smirked, "I've a message from the Tsuchikage. He says; Come, and be reborn."

She blinked and stood slowly, setting the cup of tea down gracefully as she did so. Hinata stepped around the table and bowed, unblinking, before responding woodenly, "I go. Show me the way."  
The ninja smiled and stepped back out the door, sliding his ninja-to back into their sheathes on the way. Once the two were outside, the man jumped away with the indigo-haired woman a bit behind.

* * *

A part of Naruto was having the time of his life. The closest he'd come to a battle like this before was when he'd snuck up on the retreating Iwa forces on the day Hinata's life-support would have been cut off, but that had been closer to a slaughter. And he'd missed the previous battle, still unconscious from the poison attack.

_Not this time. I wonder if Dad liked it so much. Seems kind of weird that all the older ninja just run in fear when they see me, though. I mean, I know he was a war hero back then and all, but... don't they realize he's long dead? Before I even met him, really?_

Of course, like any human, there was also a part of him that was terrified. Not so much for himself- he had plenty to live for, but truly didn't think the ninja arrayed against him could bring him down alone, much less with his friends beside him. No... _I'm afraid because I could lose Sakura, or Neji, or my kids, or Shika, or... if they got inside the wall in as many places as it sounds like, Hinata and our baby. Or Obaa-chan, or... anyone. _

_I used to think I got what Ojii-san meant when he talked about having the whole village as something he needed to protect. And maybe I did. But... not like this. It's more than just my home. It's _all_ of our home. And we're all friends, even the people that hate me. Hokage? It's more than a title that grants respect and power._  
Beside him, the blond- even in the midst of the fight of his life- smiled to see the ghosts of his favorite, silver-haired sensei, his father, and the wrinkled old man who'd been killed by his own pupil at the end of Naruto's first Chunin Exam. They grinned at each other constantly, and carried on a conversation- half with themselves, half with the young Hokage- that he was only partially listening to.

_I'm glad you guys are here with me. All of you. It's because of you all that I learned what it means to be a man. To be a Shinobi of the Leaf. And to be Hokage. Thank you._

The last of his scroll-stored kunai whirled away into the cloying dust that filled the battlefield. Any semblance of forest was lost in his immediate vicinity- the many Fire-jutsu users had burned the last of the trees away shortly after the Iwa had begun uprooting trees to attack the Konoha ninja with. And then, less protected from the wind released by those few who could use Wind chakra- like Naruto himself- the dirt beneath their feet had quickly become airborne, obscuring all but the shortest vision.

_But I can still see Sakura and hear the others. They're beside me, just like the old men._

His Chakra noticeably- but not significantly- depleted, Naruto send another barrage of Kazerasengan toward the last of the steel worms that had been spotted, then called for his teammates to gather around him.

After they'd done so, none of them unscathed, even the mighty Gaara bleeding from a few wounds, he gave them each a piercing, measuring look.

"Shika, plan. Temari- fall back and help regroup. No, don't argue with me," he continued over her protests, "your Chakra can't hold out much longer, and we can all see it. Just trust me- once those who've retreated are on their way back to Konoha, you can pop some Soldier Pills and come back up if you want. But for now, we need you running support. Gaara, you holding up okay?"

The teal eyes blinked before the Kazekage answered, "I have about half of my reserves left."

The blond nodded. "Good... Shika, Sakura, you're both good too, right? Over two-thirds?"

Each of them nodded. "Right- so what've we got, Shika?"

The black haired man sank to the ground and folded his hands into his usual 'thinking pose' for a few moments. When he opened his eyes and stood, he said, "We haven't found the Kage, which means they knew we were coming and he moved. We're too spread out now, and the enemy is behind us in at least four places. The only viable option is retreating toward Konoha, making a stand at the wall like last time."

Sakura asked, before anyone agreed, "So what happened? How did they anticipate us?"

Shikamaru shrugged, "It happens. Assuming your enemy can't think as well as you can is a recipe for failure. They have strategists as well, and it's odds on some are as good as I am- maybe better. Of course, I knew that before- and falling back was part of the plan from the start if we failed to take down the Tsuchikage today."

Gaara and Naruto nodded, so Sakura stifled her arguments. An hour later, the message had been delivered to all squads, and the army was in full retreat- organized and still fending off attacks here and there, but making all possible speed back towards their home.

* * *

The reserve forces- mostly retired Chunin and Jonin and the youngest Genin- were overjoyed to see the returning army. They weren't running in panic, so they hadn't lost. _Good news for everyone._

But when the ranks of men-at-arms and ninja swiveled into defensive formations just before the gates and wall of the city, worry began anew. _We're fighting... here?_

* * *

It was very painful for Ino to see her father fall in battle. But, as her teammate Choji pointed out, 'At least he's still alive. Shika lost his dad completely'. For that, at least, the blond woman was incredibly grateful. _But Shizune-san said he may never use Chakra again._

She was relieved beyond belief when the walls of the city came into view. _Home... hospital for dad._ The medic squad she and Naruto's team were escorting- Kamisori assisting the flower-girl as much as he could with his neophyte's medical knowledge- continued on into the city, bearing her father and many others on stretchers- every member of the team was laden. "'Sori... can you help them? You too, Inoko?"

The black-haired Yamanaka scowled, "No, mom. I'm not leaving the fight yet. Tenchi can go- I'm staying with you."

Ino frowned and glared at her daughter, "And who's in charge right now, Little Miss Genin?"

The shorter girl's left eyebrow raised, "You are, Little Miss Bossy. But I'm staying, and that's final. Tenchi goes, or we all abandon our post. I'm not losing you- if you go down, who else is going to teach me the family Jutsu? Grandpa might not.... he..."

_Oh Inoko..._

The mother's arms flew around her daughter's trembling shoulders at once. _So brave, so strong... you've killed in battle, saved more lives than I even know, but you're just like me... you don't want to lose Daddy. I'm not going to go without you, sweetie. At least not yet._

"Yamanaka-taicho?"

The blond woman looked down at the Aburame, who was still hesitating as the medic team slowly moved down the street. "Go, both of you. We'll be near the gate until Shika and Naruto arrive."

* * *

Naruto was stunned. _A... kunai? But... from who?_

Suddenly weak in the knees, the Hokage stopped running with his friends with one hand on a massive trunk. He turned slowly, knowing the others wouldn't be too long in noticing he was no longer behind them, and reached back to pull the long blade from his back. _This... shit, it hurts. Feels almost like a lung... or... shit._

When he turned, he saw four figures- one he could have sworn he'd already seen die twice, two he didn't know, and one who was achingly familiar. "Hi... nata..."

His knees hit the ground, but he remained upright as his vision began to fade. "Excellent work, Hinata-chan. Your conditioning was perfect- well done, Sasuke-san. Your position as the future Tsuchikage is secure."

And then the darkness made it's final push against his willpower, and Naruto knew nothing at all.

* * *

It was Sakura who first noticed her husband wasn't behind them any longer. She gave a short, shrill whistle and turned around at once, racing back through the trees. _Naruto..._

As fast as she was moving, however, she couldn't shake the dread that had suddenly gripped her heart.

That grip changed from painful to deadly when she reached the small glade where Naruto lay, unmoving, with a bloody hole below his left scapula.

Bending low over him, one hand picking up the weapon, still dripping her lover's blood, and the other checking his pulse, Hinata stood and in a calm, measured voice, said, "He is dead. Here is the poisoned kunai, Tsuchikage-sama."

The pink-haired kunoichi couldn't move. _Hinata... betrayed us? Betrayed me? And Naruto? I... I don't believe it! I _can't_ believe it! It doesn't make any... what the..._

The well-dressed man in the gray-and-white robes of Iwa's Kage smiled when Hinata stopped before him, the kunai in one open palm. The other two ninja, one who greatly resembled- but was not- Sasuke, and the other a complete stranger, spared her a glance before turning their attention to the Kage between them.

"Hinata, kill the other woman."

As one, the three ninja began to walk calmly away, and Sakura could hear the Sasuke lookalike saying, "How shall we let them know their Kage is dead?"

But Hinata didn't move, didn't put down the kunai, didn't make any movement at all until the three men were beginning to pass into the trees.  
And then Sakura heard the faintest, soft whisper, "Sakura-chan, he's alive. I switched the kunai, and struck just below his lung. He needs your help, but he will live. I am... going to kill him."

She was stunned, but the urgency in her wife's voice reminded her that their mutual husband's life was at stake- not least because of Hinata's own actions.

Not taking her eyes from the other woman, watching every movement she made as she began to dash after the other three men, Sakura brought her now-glowing hands to the wound just as Shikamaru and Gaara dropped down beside her.

"What happened?" Shika asked, but Sakura didn't respond other than to say, "... I trust Hinata. She could have killed Naruto, but didn't."

Gaara's jaw dropped almost as far as the lazy ninja's. "Hinata-chan... did this to Naruto?"

But Sakura didn't reply at all this time.

* * *

The three ninja- one even a Kage- were taken completely by surprise when their 'ally and servant' whipped a slightly shimmering kunai across the back of the Sasuke-clone's neck and kicked the other, taller man who'd given her the code phrase activating her conditioning back in Konoha in small of his back, unleashing a burst of chakra to sever his spinal column completely at the moment of impact.

_This is between you and me, Tsuchikage._

The bodies hit the ground almost as one, but long before they'd done so, the Kage was facing her a few paces away, hands raised to defend himself. "So... your conditioning is broken at last. Was it killing your 'true love' that did it, I wonder? No matter... you could have been useful as a breed mare, but the Byakugan is no great loss for us."  
The dark-haired woman's silence said everything. Her own stance was relaxed and upright, but any shinobi worthy of the name would have seen the spasms running up and down her soft but conditioned body as the urge to strike battled with the will to wait until the right moment.

The earth suddenly shifted underneath Hinata's feet, gaping wide and deep below her, but the kunoichi was already flying into the air in a low arc, straight at the other man.

_I can see it... moments into the future. I wonder if this is what it's like for the Sharingan wielders... but it's superimposed, and... it's like a vision, or a dream. It's so hard to tell which is real._

But to an outside observer, even the most observant, it would have been impossible to tell that Hinata was actually worried that she'd be distracted or choose the wrong target.

For every strike or kick the older man made, his arms and feet moving in a blur, the slight woman had a hand there to redirect or block outright. For every jutsu he began, a light tap of her fingers caused the Chakra he'd gathered to power it to flood away, wasted.

For his part, the Tsuchikage had taken only moments to become truly afraid. _She's... no! I can't die here, I have too much to do!_

But when he turned to run after less than two minutes of hand-to-hand combat, the same poisoned kunai was still in Hinata's other hand. It struck him exactly where she'd aimed it, as if his pumping fist was a stationary target back at the academy. The force of it, whipped forward in the Juken throwing style, pierced completely through the man's hand and buried itself in a tree yards away.

He still continued to run, however, and Hinata gave chase without hesitation.

After six minutes, though, he began to visibly slow, his hand and arm swollen and red. "What... why did... how..." he panted as he slowly turned.

"How did I break the conditioning? How did I switch the kunai?"

"Y... y..." his throat continued to work, but the swelling was already making it hard for him to breathe, much less speak, so he nodded.

Hinata looked at him for a moment, the veins around her eyes swollen with chakra-enriched blood, _He knows he's about to die and there's nothing he can do. That is torture enough._ The eyes she turned on his as she answered, though, were still very cold. "I was never conditioned. From the first night I dreamed, I lived for only two things- and your brainwashing wasn't strong enough to change that. Now I live for three, and after tonight it will be four. As for the kunai? You weren't watching. It was a simple switch with a minor Genjutsu."

The man laughed, or tried to, and kept doing so until the poison reached his lungs. Hinata watched him convulse on the ground for a few seconds, then turned away, unable to stop the tears in her eyes. _That evil man... deserves this for what he's done. But I still don't want to watch it._

When she reopened her eyes, she was a little surprised to see Inoko watching her from beside the nearest tree. "... Hinata-sama," the girl began, her voice steady though her red eyes shook, "Sakura-sensei asked me to come find you. She said Naruto-sensei is going to be all right, and she... wants you to come home. And not to run, because she knows you didn't do anything wrong. And..."

The woman smiled and stepped forward, pulling the teen into a tight hug, "Thank you, Inoko-chan. But I wasn't going to run this time. I have too many reasons to stay. I'm a little tired... can't wait to get back home and rest."

As the two walked back toward the others, they found mutual support- both emotionally and to stay upright. "Was that the Tsuchikage?" the girl asked.

"Yes," Hinata answered.

"I didn't know you were strong enough to kill a Kage."

The Heiress grinned, "Neither did I. But I had precious people to protect."


	43. Chapter 43

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 43**

The day was bright and warm, though the breeze coming down from the mountains was still chilly, even late in the spring. The harsh winter had left snow on the peaks, which was the last of the fading signs of the season.

All in all, it was a peaceful, beautiful day. And the first time the young Hokage would have been able to truly enjoy it since hostilities with Iwa had begun almost six months ago. However, as he limped out of the newly-built hospital's front gate, now facing the rebuilt Tower, his mind was instead on the basement of that very stronghold.

_Hinata._

Beside him, Sakura's gait was just as stiff and nervous as his own. Still dressed in her pink Medic's uniform, the kunoichi's only visible sign of weakness was that same stiffness. No observer could have seen the heat radiating from her hand, clasped tightly in Naruto's own- to help him walk, of course.

"Are you sure we can't-"

"No, Sakura," the blond interrupted, "You know Ibiki won't let us in anyway during an interrogation, and... do you _really_ want to be in the same room while Ino's invading her mind?"

The thought made Sakura shudder. "He... won't know what hit him, will he?"

Naruto gave a dry chuckle, "No... I feel almost bad for Ino, though. I mean..."

The conversation continued along those lines as the two meandered slowly through the busying streets of Konoha toward the Tower. They had determined, long ago, that they would be as close as possible when the interrogation was over.

* * *

"_I'm sorry, Naruto, but it had to be done! You'd never have allowed it on your watch, so I didn't have a choice!"_

Sakura had hated that particular meeting, the day after Naruto's last day off, between her sensei and former Hokage, and her husband and current Hokage.

"_Damn it, of course I wouldn't have! I trust Hinata, and that's all there is to it! Sakura told you this already! If she _wanted_ to kill me, she could have. But she didn't! Instead, she set it up so I would be safe and she would be able to kill that bastard. So why is she being interrogated again?!_"

_Tsunade sighed and plopped back down on the couch, ignoring the fact that now Naruto was towering directly over her, "You know why. We have to make sure her conditioning is really broken. And to see if she learned anything else we aren't aware of. We have to know, for the safety of the village, and you know it. So just... shut up about it already!"_

_He took in another breath to continue arguing, but the older woman, her voice shaking with a sudden upsurge of anger, "Damn it, Naruto! Don't you understand I hate this too?! But I _had_ to give the order! Sometimes the Hokage has to do things they hate for the good of the Village!"_

From there, Sakura remembered, the argument had only gotten worse. Naruto had argued, over and over again, that he _knew_ Hinata was no danger to the village, and that if there were memories to be had, she would unlock them on her own. Tsunade had maintained that he had know way of 'knowing' without evidence, and that even Hinata's visions could be affected in some way if they didn't know exactly how she was conditioned.

Of course, despite how much she hated to see two of her favorite people argue some vehemently, the worst part for Sakura was that she found herself bound not to participate- because she knew that both sides, while mutually incompatible, were essentially correct.

When the two shinobi reached the room favored by Ibiki in the depths of the Tower's reinforced basement- an exact replica of how it used to look, down to a hairline crack in one wall- they were stopped outside by two ANBU, one of whom Naruto recognized as a masked Tenten.  
"Kestrel. Report, please."

Sakura, not being privy to quite as much information as her husband, hadn't yet made the connection between the bird mask and the tall, muscular form of the weapons master kunoichi, and so didn't respond, even after the woman began speaking, her voice muffled enough that she was still unrecognizable.

"Interrogation began at 0630 Hrs, uninterrupted until know. According to Horse-senpai, Ibiki-san generally takes less than eight hours, so he expects the relatively weak-willed Hyuga-san to break within the hour."

Naruto snorted. "Hinata, weak-willed? Doesn't know what he's talking about. But when he comes out, or if you go in, pass on a message for me. If he... _'breaks'_ Hinata, I'm going to break him. He can get information without torturing her, or he can get nothing at all."

Sakura's hands, clenched from the first time Tenten had said the word 'break', relaxed slightly as she leaned back against the opposite wall to stare intently at the two masked ninja. After the two had nodded in acknowledgement of their commander's order, Naruto mirrored her pose, each staring straight into the eyes of one of the ANBU.

* * *

Inside the chamber, things were not going very well. With a sigh, the scarred old man took his hands off of the indigo tresses before him and stepped back, sparing a single look to the blond woman.

She sighed as well, her shoulders slumped, "I'm sorry, Ibiki-sama, I just... I don't get it. I'm doing everything you and my father said, at least I think I am, but there's a point where I just can't get past."

A giant, surprisingly reassuring hand was placed on her shoulder, and his deep voice growled out, "Don't worry about it. I don't think Inoichi could have gotten past that wall, either. In fact, short of conventional torture, I can't think of a way to. And Tsunade-sama expressly forbade that. We'll just rest a bit and try again, maybe think of another angle to come at it."

It was during this short rest period- no more than a few minutes long- that Hinata was finally able to burn through the chakra effect keeping her conscious mind mostly inactive. She made no move, though, having gone willingly with the interrogation team. _I won't fight them... I won't. I'll... I will let them see everything, so they know I would never hurt Naruto if I had a choice, or the village. And the brainwashing... if I was, I need to know too._

When the two sets of hands- one large, calloused and hot, and the other slightly smaller than her own but no less calloused were placed once more on her head, Hinata didn't react at all.

This time, Ino gasped when, instead of finding Hinata's normal mindscape- more organized than normal but still foreign and confusing to navigate- had changed into a single, open expanse of field, littered with row upon row of what looked like old-fashioned card catalogues. Each had a sign on top, clearly visible from even a great distance, though each was smaller than a foot high. "Sakura. Naruto. Conditioning. My baby. Neji. Father. Sakura's 'prize'. Gaara. Ino. Is this... normal?"

The representation of Ibiki projected alongside her own into Hinata's mind scowled, "No. She's awake and organizing her thoughts for us. Which means the information could be tampered with."

Suddenly, beside them, a vague outline of the woman herself appeared. "It is not, Ibiki-san. I will subject myself to a Byakugan test if necessary to prove it, but here are nothing but my own thoughts, as I remember them. Peruse what you will. I would ask, though, that you keep certain matters... private. They're in the section over there, and they pertain mostly to Naruto, Sakura, and I."

Looking over, Ino blushed slightly to see seven more catalogues, labeled with things like "Wedding Night". Ibiki scowled deeper still, but nodded. "Only as a last resort, Hinata-sama. But if we must, we will be discreet. So _no rumors_, Ino-san."

Suddenly less cheerful than she had been, the blond woman frowned slightly, but nodded her own agreement.  
And then the 'interrogation' began anew.

"I don't understand," Ino said some time later, "How come you have this one small coffer on a pedestal? All it says is "The Cell", but I can't open it or unlock it.

The ghostly projection of Hinata frowned, "That's... my defense against the conditioning. I locked myself into it every time they started, and it took... more effort than I'd expected to get out. Only Naruto and Sakura seem to have the keys."

The older man gave the lockbox atop the pedestal a sharp look "What we need is most likely in there."

* * *

"Naruto, I'm pregnant."

To his credit, the blond man didn't have quite the same reaction he'd had when their mutual significant other had given the same announcement. However, he didn't respond in quite the same way Sakura would have preferred, either.

"_Whaaat?!"_

… _this may not have been the best time to tell him..._

The blond stammered for a full minute before he finally organized his thoughts enough to form actual words. "You're... umm... you're going to have a baby- too?"

Sakura nodded, not taking her eyes off of his. He'd jerked off the wall as he yelled out the first 'what', and whirled to face her. "Yep. You, me, baby... and Hinata, and baby."

The young Hokage fought visibly to control his breathing, and eventually forced himself to once again lean against the wall next to his wife, whose hand subconsciously sought his own. "Two kids. Already."

Sakura nodded.

"So... wow. This is... it's gonna suck."

She nodded again. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean for it to happen. It was... while we were out celebrating after..."

His hand tightened around hers, and he said firmly, eyes still fixed on the door opposite them, "Don't say you're sorry. I'm not. It's just going to be a lot of work. But it'll be worth it."

The door opened silently before she could respond, and an exhausted-looking Ino slumped against the frame. "We're... done, I guess."

"How is she?" Naruto asked, and Ino smiled weakly.

"Figures you'd ask how she is before you ask what we learned- which isn't very much. There's this... room, in her mind. She said she used it to prevent the conditioning from taking hold, but... while the theory's sound, I just don't know enough to say if it'd work or not. So... unless my dad comes up with something, I think we're going to have to take her word for it."

Sakura nodded, Naruto only half listening, didn't bother. Instead, he repeated, "Is she...?"

Further back, the towering Morino Ibiki growled, "She'll be fine in the morning. She just needs to rest- it's tiring to have more than one mind in your own brain."

* * *

It was three months later, as the cherry blossoms began to bloom in Konoha, that Lee and Ino finally completed their relationship in a small, close-friends-only wedding. Their first child, Inoko, was the maid of honor. Lee had officially adopted her as his own just the day before, and while the girl-now thirteen- had cried when she'd signed the papers alongside her two parents, they were tears of joy. Like her mother, she had at last come to fully realize the Taijutsu Expert's character, and as she put it, 'couldn't ask for better' in a father.

Of course, Mighto Gai, upon hearing that, had burst into tears, his graying hair disputing his age along with his antics as he cried out about how happy he was for his star pupil.

Fortunately for the few attending the wedding, Naruto had demonstrated a great deal of forethought- and promptly challenged the older man to a 'silent contest'. Of course, Naruto cheated- he had two women who knew exactly how he thought to answer for him, while Gai had... his little boy, who while similar, was trained by Sakura- and simply shut his mouth rather than engage in 'fires of youth' talk at the wedding.

Inoko stayed with Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata during Lee's four week honeymoon in Suna. And according to her, had never had so much fun. In fact, on first being reunited with her mother, her first words were 'can I go live with Naruto-sensei from now on'.

* * *

The cherry blossoms all around Konoha had come and gone, and now the apple and pear trees were taking their turns, the vibrant white, pink, and green blossoms adding splashes of color to many of the street corners of the Hidden Village. All of that was, for the moment, lost on a laughing group of women who strolled down the busy streets in a knot ignoring the passerby forced to move out of the way or be trampled.

A bystander- or more accurately, a man who had been coerced into following along after the group- was able to catch most of the conversation, though in all fairness he'd rather have not been able to. Especially since, every time he'd tried to chime in, one of the women- seemingly at random- would turn to him and either glare, or thank him politely and turn back to the others, who simply pretended he had never spoken, or indeed, wasn't even present.

With a sigh, Hyuga Neji- proud new husband to the tallest of the three women in the group- gave what, to him, was a long-suffering sigh and plodded- _No! I am _not_ plodding! I am walking in a stately fashion after my wife and her friends._

"So did you guys hear?" Ino was asking during a short lull, "Rumor has it that Shino's parents are arranging a marriage to him from... well, somewhere outside Konoha. Maybe outside the Fire Nation completely."

At this, Neji's almost-white eyes perked up just a little. _I hadn't heard that. I should... but no. If he cared, he would have told me. _

"Really?" his cousin Hinata asked, "From out of Konoha? Is his... bride aware of the Aburame's clan's Kekkei Genkai?"

"'donno," the blond woman replied with a glance at her friend, "but I hope so, for her sake. I mean, don't get me wrong- Shino's a decent guy and all, and pretty good looking under that hoody from what I understand," here, Neji was surprised to see his cousin nod slightly, a move that wasn't lost on the other women, who giggled as Ino continued, "but just knowing they're there is bad enough. Can you imagine having the bugs _sprung_ on you... say, on your wedding night?"

Many of them- all of them, really- shuddered, Hinata least of all. _But that doesn't mean much. She's known him longest, and is probably more used to the idea anyway._

The off-duty ANBU saw Sakura's hand seek out Hinata's while the kunoichi said, "So, Hinata... I have a question for you. Just a secret between us girls- don't worry, I won't tell Naruto."

Neji's footsteps faltered, just once, because he _knew_ what she was going to ask. And so, it seemed, did the others, because they erupted into laughter causing his cousin to blush furiously. "So... did you ever think about, well... Shino? As more than just a teammate or friend?"

Neji held his breath, for once glad that the group he was following were pretending he wasn't there. He needn't have worried, though, because he could see her long, indigo hair waving with an emphatic 'no'. "I only ever thought about Naruto... that way. At least, until about a year ago."

"Oi, Neji!"

The deep, drawling voice of Shikamaru cut through the giggles easily, and the Jonin turned to see the dark-haired man walking casually out of a ninja supply shop toward him, his hands stuck in his pockets. Behind him was his new wife as well, the lithe blond struggling to pull a satchel just barely able to clear the door out of the shop behind her.

Turning at last, Tenten, and Sakura moved quickly to help their friend, while Ino and Hinata, the latter sparing her older cousin a brief smile, moved to intercept Shikamaru.

"Come on, Shika! I know you're lazy," the blond was saying loudly, "but Temari could use some help, ya jerk! Is she your wife or your pack mule?"

The genius only sighed, not bothering to respond.  
Minutes later, after the group of women had- finally- left the two men in the street, Neji found the courage to ask, "She told you not to help, didn't she?"

Shika nodded just once, and mumbled, "Troublesome woman. I even _offered_ for once."

"So... what did you need?"

The slightly taller man was a long time answered, but when his slow feet began to meander down the street after their wives and friends, Neji followed. "Something's been bothering me for a while."

"Hm?"

"It's about Lady Tsunade."

Once again, the Hyuga only gave the barest noise to show he was listening. Opposite them, however, a young man laughed at the response. "Geez, you two! Listening to your conversations has got to be the most boring thing ever. One's too lazy to talk, and the other only uses monosyllables!"

Both Neji and Shikamaru groaned.

"What do you need, Konohamaru?"

The Chunin gave a short laugh. "Nothin. I was just passin' by. On my way to see Moegi- we're 'dating' again. Later!"

"So?"

Again, the genius was a long time saying anything else. "It's... you know she's not got very long left, right?"

Neji nodded, "It's common knowledge, now."

Out of the corner of his pale eye, he saw the other man turn his gaze- again- to the clouds above, trusting his ears and friend to keep him from walking into anything. "I think it's about six months. She says longer, but... Shizune has been covering almost all of her shifts at the Hospital, and Naruto's not taken a day off in... over four months."

"And you think that means she's about to pass on?"

Not taking his eyes down from the sky, Shikamaru nodded once. "That too. There are a thousand other small clues. Her Genjutsu fades more frequently, and when it does her lips are blue. I think her heart is failing, and it's all she can do to keep it going now."

"Hm."

"'s what I thought, too," Shika said, his mouth twitching in a grin, "Gonna be hard on all of us. But especially Naruto and Sakura."

"Hmm."

"Yeah... I know what you mean."

* * *

That night, Naruto wasn't at home- and hadn't been home- since Sakura had come in at eight, exhausted from a long day with her team and at the hospital.

"Let's just go to bed Hinata," the kunoichi said, standing up and stretching before reaching out a hand to her wife, "he's probably just working late."

Elsewhere, however, their mutual husband was doing anything but working.

Instead, Naruto was crying harder than he had in months, maybe years. His oldest, first friend had gone on, left him behind, and wouldn't be coming back. He took some small consolation, miserable and small as it made him feel, that he wasn't the only one suffering.

Teuchi's only child and daughter, Ayame, was huddled in a fetal position, half across his lap, on her small couch. In the large, padded recliner across the apartment's living room was the old man himself, now shrouded by a white sheet.  
When Naruto had answered the panicked, stricken summons from Ayame, he had dropped his Hokage duties at once to come to her aid, knowing what he would find deep in his gut. Still, seeing the tanned, slightly pitted face of his first friend pale and lifeless on the chair had broken his spirit, at least for a while. He had been able to find the energy to tell Ayame that he was here, to bring a sheet from their linen closet, and cover the old man, then had collapsed on the couch, unable to do more than stare at the corpse and once in a long while, offer worthless words of reassurance and comfort to his second friend.

When she had crawled onto the couch from where she'd collapsed on the floor, Ayame had still been sobbing, her eyes puffy and red. His arm had lifted to allow her to come closer, then dropped over her waist without a word. Looking back, Naruto couldn't even remember making his arm move. It just... had.

* * *

"We should move him," Naruto said when the first rays of sunlight woke the sleeping woman on his lap.  
Ayame groaned deeply and whispered, "It wasn't a nightmare, was it?"

"I'm sorry... but no."

She sighed once and sniffled, but shook herself like a cat, then sat up beside him to gaze at the sheet. "I... I don't know what to do. Without him, I mean."

The blond man nodded. "It'll be hard. But... you'll make it. You're stronger than most shinobi I know."

She gave a weak smile. "What about the shop, though? Those idiots still can't cook, and I... I just don't know if I can replace... _oh daddy!_"

His arm snaked, unbidden again, around her shoulder to pull her into a one-armed hug while she cried. A few minutes later, she forced herself once again to stop crying and suddenly stood up, throwing Naruto's arm back to the couch. "No! Dad... he wouldn't want me to be like this. I have to... I have to get busy."

The blond young Hokage watched her walk from the room and walk into the kitchen, where he heard her open a drawer and a few seconds later, what sounded like writing. With a low, quiet sigh, he got up and followed her into the small room. _Hasn't changed since I was last here, and that was fourteen years ago. Except for... Teuchi-sama, of course._

When Ayame had finished writing, she rolled the paper up and moved to her father's old message hawk.

"What was that?" Naruto asked after the bird had been sent on it's way.

"Shizune and the Coroner."

Naruto nodded, then sat down at the third seat of the table- knowing without a doubt that Teuchi's wouldn't be sat in for a long, long time.  
Behind him, he could hear Ayame moving woodenly to prepare tea.

When she sat down next to him, he smiled at the tea put before him, but didn't drink. He instead watched her hands fold around her cup, her eyes stare at the dark liquid, unmoving.

After a long time, she finally spoke. "I got up to make breakfast, and he was reading the paper. I _saw his eyes move_. He gave me a smile, said good morning... but when I went back to tell him it was going to be about fifteen minutes and to ask if he wanted eggs, he didn't answer... it was only about two minutes."

He nodded once, unable to speak past the vivid images her words had conjured in his mind. Beside him, once again, Ayame began to cry.


	44. Chapter 44

A/N: Don't own it.

**Chap. 44**

Lee, recently returned from from a mission to Iwa, was walking Naruto home just before sundown. The late-spring sun left the air hot, and the two were grateful for the long shadows of the buildings to hide from the fiery orb in.

As they walked, the two chatted- about everything ranging from gossip about their friends, recent missions, and Naruto's ongoing battle to restructure the way the shinobi of Konoha ran their organization. "- so we finally got rid of the last of the ROOT agents. Sai was a big help in that, of course. So we still have ANBU, yeah, and I'm gonna leave that."

The once-again bowl-cut ninja beside the Hokage gave a wide smile, "Of course. It is the dream of many ninja to be ANBU, and if that was taken away... but my friend would never do such a thing!"

Naruto shook his head slowly while smiling at his friend's strange way of speaking for what felt like the millionth time. "Nah, gonna leave ANBU as they are. I'm going to put them into the new organization, though. They're going to be my Rooks."

Beside him, the green-clad ninja's steps faltered for a moment before he rushed a few paces to catch up to the still-walking man. "Rooks?"

"Oh yeah," Naruto explained, "you haven't heard. It all started when... Hey, let's go get Ramen!"

Predictably, Naruto had (subconsciously, Lee was sure) led them down the road toward Ichiraku's. With a faint smile, the ninja agreed, and the two dashed forward to hurl themselves through the short curtain and into the shop, Lee crying out, "I won! Take that, Hokage-sama!"

Laughing right alongside him, Naruto called across the counter, "Ayame-chan! Six bowls of Miso and two beef- and three pork, too!"

The woman came out from the back smiling, but to Naruto's eyes, there was still too much sadness. _It's been hard on her since her old man... but I'm glad she's kept his dream going. Konoha wouldn't be the same without this place._

"So anyway," the Hokage continued, shaking off his dark thoughts, "the King, of course, is the Academy students- the kids, all of them. The Queen is the non-shinobi militia. They're strong, but should be protected unless they have to be used."

"I'm... what are you talking about, Naruto?"

The Hokage froze, then grinned, rubbing the back of his head, "Sorry- jumped ahead. We were talking about the new rank structure. It started when I was talking to Shika about how the King- Asuma-sensei and his dad taught him this- means the next generation. So when he explained it to me, I got the idea of rearranging everything along that line. I've been working on it for years, but especially since I got promoted."

"Ah, I see," said Lee, but even Ayame could tell he needed more explanation, and she smiled at the broth she was heating for her best customer's large order.

"Well, like I said, the King and Queen are basically the people the ninja have to protect. The Knights- the ones who get around best and are arguably the strongest- are the Kage of each village, and those most powerful. Clan Heads, things like that."

This time, Lee's nod was accompanied by some small glimmer of understanding.  
"So the Bishops are the Jonin, the Rooks are the ANBU, both perform similar jobs but aren't the same really. The Pawns are... it sounds kind of mean when I say it, but they're the Chunin and Genin. There are more of 'em, yeah, so I guess we 'could' sacrifice them to do things, but what I really named 'em that for is because they're the ones who can, if they reach the other side of the board- do enough missions, or whatever- can 'get promoted' to become something else."

"I see! That's an excellent idea, Naruto."

"I know," he replied, grinning widely, "Even Gaara likes it. We've been calling each other Ho Knight and Kaze Knight for years now in coded messages. He's arranging Suna in the same way, in fact, he's almost done."

Ayame, still smiling, placed the first bowls for each of them on the counter and stepped backwards to watch them eat.

An hour later, when Naruto had finally crammed himself full, Lee began to lean back, patting his stomach, then leapt suddenly to his feet, an expression of surprise on his face.  
"Ayame-san! I'm so sorry, I... I have something for you, something from Iwa!"

Naruto and the woman were both stunned. _Lee? Has a gift for Ayame? What the..._

Even more to his surprise, the other man crouched low and began to fiddle with the orange leg-warmer/weights. After a moment, he pulled a sweaty, grimy piece of paper from it, and unfolded it slowly on the counter, then turned it to face the woman.

"What... is it?" she asked, unwilling to come that close to the obviously dirty object.  
"It is... the Ramen of Life."

Naruto's eyes got wider still, and Ayame looked even more confused. "You... you got it? The old woman's recipe?"

Lee nodded. "I did!"

The blond smiled at last. Turning to the woman, he said happily, "You gotta make some, Ayame! It's... not the best ever, but it's _totally_ something your dad would have loved to know. And... this way, you can even surpass him, 'cause he never learned to make it!"

* * *

The stars were bright when the three shinobi reached the top of the trail that had once led to the top of the Hokage Monument. Their comfortable silence was broken by the whispered murmurs of a young man just past the edge of the trail, and squinting, the blond man could just make out the shape of two people against the dim glow from the city below. Beside him, he could feel his two companions each tense momentarily, then relax as each recognized the male's unusually quiet and solemn voice.  
"I mean it, Moegi. It's always been you, even back... back then. Hanabi was fun for a little while, but I was never serious about her, and I think you know it."

The two women with the Hokage exchanged a cunning glance, then pulled Naruto down by his sleeves without a sound, then began to creep just a little closer. _Hell... Kono's never going to let me hear the end of this if we get caught... eavesdropping on lovestruck kids..._

"It's not that I don't believe you, Kono. I told you how I felt years ago. I just... I don't know. It's too early. I mean, we're only seventeen, and..."

Sakura's hand on Naruto's shoulder felt him tense up a little, but Konohamaru's shocked reply put her at ease.  
"No- not that! I mean... yes, but not yet! I... Ojii-san always told me I should... you know, wait... and... I mean, not that I don't want to! It's just... I..."

The two women seemed eager to press even closer, but Naruto had had enough. With a stern glance, he pulled both of them backwards and they eased away. _Well done, Konohamaru. And you too, Asuma-sensei and Ojii-san. Ah well... looks like we'll have to find a new place to spend the evening._

* * *

Genma woke from a dead sleep to hear the woman beside him gasping in pain. _Shit!_

Fortunately, he was a trained shinobi, and panic couldn't overtake him so easily- even when the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his (her?) life with was obviously going into cardiac arrest in their now-shared bed.

_Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata are out... I'll have to take her and hope Shizune's still on her shift. What time is it? Four. Come on, Tsunade- stay with me!_

Then there wasn't time to think. Rather than even throw a cloak over his shoulders, he simply scooped the woman into his arms, blanket and all, and took her spasming form at a dead-run straight toward the new hospital, nearly five miles away.

When Genma arrived, he was relieved beyond words that the brown-haired medic was still there, though it appeared she was about to leave since she was giving instructions to a desk nurse, her overcoat on. When she turned to see the new arrival, her eyes widened in horror, but only for a moment before her training kicked in.  
The Jonin grabbed the intercom on the far side of the desk at once and began barking instructions, "Katsumon, Hairage! Prep ICU room four! Getsu, Shibuya, gather up the Cardiac team- and hurry, it's Lady Tsunade!"

While she gave the curt instructions to the night staff, the desk nurse had flown from behind it, conjuring a stretcher from nowhere that the graying Jonin could see. Without a work, he slid Tsunade onto it after she'd lain it on the floor and helped to pick it up.  
Just as Shizune slammed the microphone down, she cried, "This way, ER, the first booth's clear!"

* * *

It was almost twenty minutes later that Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata were woken by a messenger pounding on their door. It was Naruto who reached it first, Sakura and Hinata sharing the one large comforter between them right behind him. "What is it?" Naruto asked, the pained expression on the Chunin's face telling him at once that something was very wrong.  
"It's..." the man said through heaving breaths, "Tsunade-hime! Hospital... heart..."

Before the man could draw another breath to force out another word, Naruto had thrown him none-to-gently to the side of the door and burst through it, vanishing upwards and out of sight before Sakura could shriek in worry herself, and fling her way out of the blanket and into the shadows of their home to find some semblance of a work uniform.

Hinata was barely able to thank the man for delivering the message so quickly before she too dashed backward into the home, not bothering to shut the door. The Chunin stood there at a loss for a moment, called out once, "I'll just... get the door and go then?" before doing just that.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata's hearts shattered when Shizune and Sakura, both their faces drenched with tears, staggered from the ICU room an hour past dawn. Neither could say anything for a long time as the medics took a station opposite the two who'd waited outside, leaning heavily on each other for both physical and emotional support.

Hinata couldn't bring herself to say anything, and even Naruto only began one word, "Is-" before cutting himself off.

A short while later, though, his question was answered by one of the other med-nin who came out of the room, visibly exhausted.

"She's... I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do."

Sakura burst into a renewed round of tears, but the devastating news only seemed to refill her husband's resolve. He flexed every muscle in his body once, twice, and then relaxed- everything but his jaw and eyes, which were set and hard. "Is it chakra depletion? Because I can give her as much as she needs."

The medic shook his head, "We'd thought of that. Well- Sakura-sama did," the older man said with a nod to the kunoichi, "but at her age, infusing her body with foreign chakra would just kill her that much sooner. No... she's just _old_. I mean, she's sixty in actual age, but... she's used her Creation: Rebirth too many times, and this is just... as far as she can go. There's... nothing else we can do. She's..."

Across the hall, Naruto nodded, then turned his steely blue eyes on Shizune. "Nothing at all that either of you know that can save her?"

To her credit, Shizune thought as hard as she could, but could come up with nothing they hadn't already tried, or that she knew would be useless. Now crying harder herself, she shook her head.  
"All right," Naruto said, his voice still firm, "Obaa-chan has one more student I can check with. I'll be right back. No one go anywhere until I get back."

He vanished in a swirl of leaves and purple chakra, and it was a long, tension-filled minute before Sakura was able to force out, her voice just barely tinged with hope amidst the despair, "Do you think... he can...?"

But she didn't have long to wonder. It took less than five minutes for Naruto to return, Anko Mitarashi and Hatake Kamisori with him, the Genin being half-carried by the two adults. "This way," Naruto said at once, moving toward the ICU door without hesitation.

After the group had joined the two medics still in the room, Sakura said, "Give us some space, please. We... have one more thing to try."

The others shared a quick glance, but obeyed their dying master's student's request.

"Kamisori... do you know of anything that can save her?"

It was obvious to Hinata that he'd already told the boy and his mother what the situation was, because both of them already looked upset when they arrived, but seeing the woman widely considered the strongest kunoichi anywhere brought low was enough to shake almost anyone.

The boy's head jerked a few times in a no, and he answered, "Sorry, Sensei... I only just started my training, and with the Snake Path... I'm not even beginning, really."  
Naruto sighed, a defeated look creeping in at last. "I guess... that's it, then."

"No..."

His eyes turned up at once to meet the eyes of his student's mother. "What?"

"'sori may not be much of a medic yet... but I have pretty much mastered the Snake Path. There's something I can do."

Silence reigned for a long time, but only moments, before Kamisori gasped, "Mom, no! You can't!"

"Hush, boy," she said, refusing to meet his eyes, "You need her to keep teaching you, so it's final."

"But-"

The woman ignored her son's pained protests and put one hand over Tsunade's heart and the other on her stomach. As soon as the chakra began to flow, however, Naruto's hand on her wrist stopped the process. "Anko, I can't let you do this if it's going to kill or incapacitate you. Granny Tsunade wouldn't want that, and neither do we. Your son needs you more than we need her."

The woman gave a wistful smile and looked at both of the men for a moment, "You two both remind me of Kakashi so much. But you're both worry-worts. It's not like I'm going to die for the old bag."

His hand released hers slowly and he stepped back, giving tacit permission for her to begin again.

Just as the chakra began to peak and flow to where it needed to go, she muttered, "Not much of my life, anyway," but it was already too late to stop.

It took eighty-four breaths, two hundred and nineteen pounding heartbeats for the first change to happen, and twice that before the Special Jonin screamed, just as Tsunade's eyes began to flutter.

"Where..." the blond woman began, but her weak voice was drowned out by Naruto's curt instructions, "'sori, take your mom out of here. Hinata, you with him please. Go to ICU 2, get started- you too, Ojii-san," he continued with a nod at the older doctor he'd caught eyeing Sakura frequently.

The command in his voice was unmistakable, and it was that more than anything else that got the boy moving. Once he'd started, however, the need to do something- anything- to stop his mother's pain kept him moving.

After the room had quieted significantly, Naruto and Sakura both dared to move again, they each took one of the last Sannin's hands.

"Where am..." she repeated, but Naruto, predictably, interrupted.  
"Where do you think? The ICU. You aren't getting to kick off that early, old hag. You gotta keep us in line a bit longer."

Tsunade smiled weakly, despite the glare she shot him through half-lidded eyes, but didn't say anything.  
Sakura answered her unspoken question, "It was Naruto who saved you- kind of. He thought of the Snake Path. Kamisori couldn't do anything, but Anko... I think she traded some of her life for yours."

* * *

"Congratulations, mom! That's awesome!"

It was hard for the gathered crowd celebrating the beginning of the harvest festival not to cheer alongside Inoko when the last 'Uchiha' reacted to her mother's announcement. Beside her, her teammates immediately began to tease the teenager about what a great- or horrible, depending on which you asked- big sister she'd be. Only the newly expecting mother and father, mind-control and taijutsu experts, respectively, were able to resist the urge to join in the friendly ribbing, both too lost in their own joy.

Across the large back yard, four shinobi stood apart from the others, enjoying the company of their friends and extended family, but for the most part spending time with each other. After all, for Hinata, at least, there was a real need to maintain some semblance of quiet. She was due the previous month, and while all three of the married couple were nervous, she had decided she'd carry the baby for it's full term, or until it became unsafe to do so any longer- which would be tomorrow.

An hour after sunset, the fireworks began.

Amidst the ooh's and aah's, the three shared a few quiet, contented kisses. Just before the finale, however, Hinata blinked once and went still, her eyes coloring over with a half-red hue.

_Their guests were leaving when it happened. The pang of pain, the dawn light revealing that the gasp she'd heard hadn't come from her. Beside her, Sakura was also clutching her swollen belly, and the two shared an ironic look, before turning to their husband and calling out, "Oh Naruto-kun... it's time to make you _pay_!"  
He gulped in fear before calling to their grandmother, "Obaa-chan? It's... time!"_

The former kunoichi seeress smiled to herself once she returned to the present, able to see the last of the fading fireworks. Her last memory of the vision had been the four of them rushing out of the hospital, Tsunade and Naruto each pushing a wheelchair carrying one of them as they passed the lone tree in the front yard, just now at the end of summer blossoming with it's first petals.

**A/N2: (Final!)**

So yeah. 640 pages. (In 12-points, Courier New, widely considered the ideal spacing for a word processor to novel page conversion) So that's 2+ novels in length, since the average novel is 300 pages. (Sci fi from 325-350)

However, length isn't everything. While I have to say the story didn't end QUITE how I imagined, I am actually pretty happy with it- and the story over all. I could use some serious edit work, and as I announced previously, I will be re-posting every (44!) chapter tomorrow just to get my current edits in. Just to let people know, I have no plans to continue this storyline in the immediate future, but I may, emphasis MAY, choose to continue it with another chapter of vignettes- probably set a year or two after the end of this one.

I've said it many times before, but it bears repeating especially since this is the last chapter- please review. I write fanfictions for two reasons- one because it's enjoyable to me and I love living in other people's worlds as much as my own, and two... practice. I want to get a _lot_ better. So if you've got something to say, please do so.

Final notes: For those that argued about Tsunade's family name being Senju- there is no proof, sorry. While I know she's the granddaughter of the First and grandniece of the Second, now that their name has been revealed, hers should have been listed as Senju if she was related on the male side. But it's not in the last data book, so... she's not. So I gave her the other name associated with her family.  
As for those that keep reading "Tsuchi" instead of "Iwa", I've changed most of it- the ones remaining are not mistakes. For instance, "Iwakage" is a misnomer, the actual title is "Tsuchikage", even though that's not the name of the country.  
"Ho" in reference to Ho Knight and the Land of Fire: Ho means flame or fire. Simple.

I don't think there was anything else I had comments or questions about... except time jumps. So I'll cover the most glaring/obnoxious one and be done with it. (Although I have at least once)

The subject is the age of Ino vs her daughter, Inoko.  
Yes, Ino was VERY young (read: 12) when she gave birth. If you think that doesn't happen, check again. HOWEVER! As some of you pointed out, the math still doesn't add up- because Inoko would still only be 9. As I said at least once in the story, she's 11 when it starts, and 12 when it ends. That's my bad, but I don't consider it worth fixing at this point- since a lot of it would require a major rewrite. (It's rather important for her character- and Naruto's- development that she be just entering the real throes of puberty)

So once again, sorry for the messup- that was me. But as for Ino's and Sasuke's ages- no, that was totally intentional.

Last bit of note: Please, PLEASE let me know what you thought. Good, bad, doesn't matter. Just give me something. Except begging me to do a sequel, because it's not going to happen- the story is told. If I think of more ideas I'd like to write in this same timeline and version of the universe, I'll do so- but I have no plans to at the moment. However, on that note... I _have_ thought of two more Naruto fics (probably short ones) I'd like to do sometime, so check out my profile page for that info.

Sayonara, and domo arigigato! (And that's a full page AN)


	45. Petition End Tyranny Nao!

First, apologies to all who thought their favorite stories were being uploaded- not quite yet. I'm working on them still, of course, but this is something I feel can't wait for an A/N. I never thought I'd be doing this instead of a chapter, but... desperate times and all that. And for those who have me on author alert... sorry. I didn't realize until I was almost done that I was flooding your inboxes. :P

A personal note:

The below petition is not my creation, but I wish I'd thought of it. As many of you readers are no doubt aware, there has been a recent crackdown on lemons on Ffnet, a site many of us know and love. Now, I am fully aware that lemons violate the ToS. I've known it since before I wrote my first fanfiction, and since before I posted it- here. That being said, lemons in fanfiction have been around a long time. Longer than this site has. Longer than I've been alive, and I'm one of the older ones that frequent the site (but by no means the oldest).

However, I willfully violated the ToS in that regard (with a lemon) for one reason. It may not be 'the right reason', it may not even be a good one, but to me, as an author and creator (because as the author of this petition said, we _are_ the creators of our own original plots, events, characters, and works and we own them legally just as the canon authors own their own works), it is enough.

To me, a lemon can make a good story better. Yes, it can also make a good story (or a bad story) worse. However, do you cut off your arm because it is scratched, or even mauled? No, you get it treated.

Expecting us, as authors, to cut off a piece of our creations because someone, somewhere, in the faceless, anonymous masses of _everyone_ was offended? Just... no. I won't stand for it. If Fanfiction (dot) net is willing to kowtow to a few vocal people, then I say the vocal _masses_ stand up and make _their_ voices heard.  
Personally, I have long wished for an anti-yaoi filter. Regardless of all arguments, it's not something I enjoy reading and wouldn't even skim through if I had my choice (think how much easier your searching for a new story would be either with or without that alone!).

Adding another rating- the below-mentioned "MA" is perfectly servicable, though I'd choose something different so there isn't any confusion with "M" (X has rather negative connotations, but would also serve just fine given the nature of what we're talking about).

These are just simple corrections that would take (and I know enough of coding to be sure this is accurate) a few man-hours to do, and a few more to check it doesn't mess anything else up. In all honesty, it should take seconds.  
And yes, instead, countless man-hours are devoted to deleting other's creations, often the only copy of said creation in the world? I don't think that's right at all. It doesn't even make _sense_, because so much man-power and man-hours are being wasted when another fix is so easy.

The last suggestion is even better- a (still free) but age-verified membership, where lemons (or other graphic stories that may well pass beyond accepted 'M' ratings) are allowed? Seriously, why _not_? Is there a good reason? I can't think of any.

And to the people running Ffnet- whether a corporation, a few individuals, or whatever- I know I'm not alone when I say that making the wrong choice here not only _can_, but it _will_ cost you the entire reason for the site's success. I don't expect you to turn your site- which I have always, until now (and I still do in most ways) respected- into another "AdultFanFiction" site. But in the end, isn't this site about the fans?

-InfiniteDragon

If you care please copy, sign and post this.

Petition:

I, along with many, have been writing and posting on your fine site for years now, some of the better examples of up and coming writers out there are now suddenly finding some of the stories we've come to love at risk of being removed without the chance to even rectify our errors.

For some, that means the permanent loss of a story. While I don't have anything that (I believe) violates your terms of use, there are those out there that are never able to recover a story in it's original form, this is something that I find to be almost worthy of a legal action, as while we cannot claim ownership of a character, the stories are OURS and simply destroying them is something that is inexcusable.

It's quite easy to simply add an MA rating, additional filters or even a simple requirement for a free membership to read the stories presented here, and would cut down on hateful anonymous reviews and posts at the same time, so I have to question as to why such a thing, in all this time, simply wasn't added.

If you're worried about falsification of a registration then have an appropriate disclaimer and then there can be no dispute, you took your steps and the PARENTS didn't monitor their children, if that is even your concern. If it is more of a personal view or desire then please at least let people know and give them a chance to remove a story that you and yours find offensive, most people on the site are actually rather cordial when it comes to such requests.

While I cannot say for sure if this letter will even reach those that may be willing to listen, of if it's more akin to a wide spectrum purge in preparation for something bigger, please understand that you are going to be losing a LARGE number of your writers, and thus your income from a lack of readers if there is not some level of action taken to help with this situation.

For those that may agree with this, please feel free to sign on and send this to the support server, maybe we can get some movement on this.

(Personal: I was led to believe this was a site for the fans. Meaning we can upload any kind of material, as long as it stuck to the criteria given to us before an upload. Or instead of simply getting rid of pretty much the best stories on the site, LIMIT the amount of yaoi on the site. Or at the very least have its own place in the filters )

Forum. Fanfiction topic/111772/63683250/1/#63698621

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